OREANDA-NEWS. January 19, 2012. Ukraine intends to significantly increase volumes of domestically extracted gas. The Head of Government Mykola Azarov has declared it, speaking at the concluding conference "The Ukrainian dialogue on the working out of energy policy: natural gas and Ukraine's energy future."

"Ukraine had known better days on oil and gas extraction, and our geological structure, our territory, our deposits can restore those volumes of production which we had," Mykola Azarov said.

Thus, he stressed that the Government has full information on promising areas, at which it is possible to increase oil and gas extraction considerably. Prime Minister has invited investors to participate in their opening up and developing.

"Our task is extremely simple: to reduce dependence on imported and extremely expensive gas," Mykola Azarov emphasized. He expressed hope that in the near future it would be possible to review gas contracts 2009 and to reach the European price of gas for Ukraine.

However, Mykola Azarov recalled that production of hydrocarbons in the USSR began exactly in Ukraine, and that our state gave the lion's share of natural gas in the energy balance of the USSR, and then there were discovered gas fields in Siberia.

The PM emphasized that in addition to increasing domestic production of hydrocarbons, Ukraine would also hold a policy rising of energy efficiency, would implement energy efficiency programs and usage of alternative energy sources. According to him, the Government develops and implements relevant programs.

"I firmly believe that our oil and gas industry and energy sphere have a great future, and you be assured the Government would spare all efforts to implement these objectives," Mykola Azarov summed up.