MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. Venezuela invites Russian oil and gas majors Gazprom and Rosneft to participate in offshore fields tapping projects, Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino told reporters on Wednesday.

"We are developing our huge offshore [fields] in Venezuela. Two of these fields we are negotiating with Gazprom and Rosneft," the minister said.

Offshore operations are meant only, Del Pino noted.

It was reported earlier Rosneft and Venezuela’s PDVSA signed an agreement on a joint venture for development of a major natural gas production, treatment and monetization project based on Patao, Mejillones, and potentially Rio Caribe offshore fields.