KIEV, Jan. 16 - Ukraine??™s largest natural gas producer UkrGazVydobuvannya and the third-largest gas producer ChornomorNaftoGaz agreed on joint gas extraction from Odessa gas field offshore the Black Sea, an UGV official said Monday.

The field, located in the northern-western part of the Black Sea, is estimated to contain up to 18 bln cubic meters of natural gas, the official said. The two companies plan to start working on the field in March.