KHARKIV, July 5 - Shell plans to spend about $200 million under an agreement with Ukrainian gas producer Ukrgazvydobuvannia to drill three gas exploration wells in Kharkiv region, Graham Tiley, the head of Shell's operations in the country, told reporters.

He said that under the joint operations project, Shell is obligated to spend about $200 million on drilling three wells as part of the initial phase of exploration. If the project is successful, the amount might increase, Tiley said.