KIEV, March 5 - Ukraine increased offshore natural gas output by 31.7% year-on-year, or by 54 million cubic meters, to 227 million cu m in January-February, ChornomorNaftogaz, the country’s only offshore oil and gas company, reported Tuesday.

Ukraine has been seeking to expand into offshore drilling in the Black Sea to tap massive deposits of natural gas and oil in order to reduce dependence on energy imports from Russia.