KIEV, Oct. 3 - Ukraine plans to announce tenders for production sharing agreements for four oil and gas sections at the end of 2012 and the start of 2013, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Eduard Stavytsky told journalists in Kiev on Wednesday.

Stavytsky said that the tenders will be held for four oil and gas sections in both offshore and dryland zones. For instance, tenders will be announced for the Slobozhanska oil and gas section (Kharkiv region), the Foroska gas section in the Black Sea, as we as a section in the shallow water area of the Prykerchenska zone and a dryland section located in the Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk region.

"The announcement of the tenders should be expected by the year's end. We've decided to sign three agreements in November [PSAs on the Yuzovska, Oleske, and Skifske sections] and will immediately announce the next tenders. We will post the tender result and immediately launch another four projects," Stavytsky said. He added that consultations with potential investors are now underway.