The local gas extraction in the Black Sea is among the most realistic types of diversification of the energy sources the Bulgarian government strives towards, reported the Bulgarian National Radio. 

The local sources will help Bulgaria reach energy independence, this country’s Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova said during her visit to the Noble Globetrotter II drillship of the energy company Shell.

In several days the drillship will begin deep-water exploration in Khan Kubrat section located 120 kilometers off the Burgas coast in a bid to discover oil and gas deposits.

Minister Petkova reminded that Bulgaria developed together with the European Commission a strategy for construction of gas distribution center in Bulgaria and the local extraction is among the possible sources of gas to the future Balkan gas hub.