ST.PETERSBURG, May 14. /TASS/. Gazprom holding invests about 83 bln rubles ($1.3 bln) in geological exploration this year, Vsevolod Cherepanov, a member of the holding's management board told a press conference on Monday.

"As for 2018, the parameters are approximately comparable [with the indicators of 2017] - about 83 billion rubles," he said.

Cherepanov also noted that last year the holding's investments in geological exploration amounted to 86.7 billion rubles ($1.4 bln).