Chavez: Russians drilling for gas

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced that a Russian ship has entered the Gulf of Venezuela to explore for gas reserves.   The vessel has a drilling platform and entered the gulf on Thursday to explore for gas reserves in partnership with Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).  "A Russian vessel is arriving with a platform. We will begin drilling the first gas well in the Gulf of Venezuela," said Chavez.  Chavez went on to add that PDVSA which is a state-owned company that dominates Venezuela's oil exploration and production of natural gas, along with refining and exporting oil reserves has never explored the country's territorial waters, AFP reported.  Venezuela has the eighth largest natural gas reserves in the world and the biggest in Latin America which comes to about five trillion cubic meters (180 trillion cubic feet).  The Russian energy companies which will be involved in the short term project with PDVSA are Gazprom, Lukoil, TNK-BP, Rosneft and Surgutneftegaz. SM/HAR. Original source at PressTV