The Ukrainian cabinet permitted to issue a license for the development of the Pallas gas field on the Black Sea shelf to National JSC Naftogaz Ukrainy without holding an auction.
The decision is stipulated in cabinet resolution No. 11-r of Jan. 6, 2009, which has been posted on the cabinet’s Web site.
The cabinet agreed with a proposal of the Environment Protection Ministry to issue the said license to Naftogaz Ukrainy.
According to the resolution, the license will expire in 30 years.
As reported, Chornomornaftogaz and Naftogaz Ukrainy in March 2007 signed a trilateral protocol on intentions with Gazprom to jointly develop the Pallas gas field. However, Gazprom has not shown interest in the field.
