Latvia to Pursue Shale Gas Development

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said that Latvia plans to diversify its energy sources by building a liquefied natural gas port in Riga and by exploring the development of shale gas resources.

Dombrovskis said he spoke about exploring for shale gas in Latvia with officials in on a recent trip to the U.S.

In February, Latvian Foreign Minister Girts Valdis Kristovskis said that geological indicators point out that shale gas is ''located under most of Latvia's territory.''

'The U.S. has information on shale gas deposits throughout the world.  If detailed geological probes are successful, we will be able to extract this gas from Latvia's territory,'' Kristovskis believes.

Latvia has been seeking to further cut the country's dependence on Russia.