Genel Energy Share News (GENL)

LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - Kurdistan-focused Genel Energymight start drilling in Somaliland next year, ChiefExecutive Murat Ozgul said on Thursday, as the group reported2017 results broadly in line with expectations.

"For the long term, I really like (our) Somalilandexploration assets. It's giving me a sense of Kurdistan 15 yearsago," Ozgul said in a phone interview. "In 2019 we may be(starting) the drilling activities."

Chief Financial Officer Esa Ikaheimonen said Genel willfocus spending money from its $162 million cash pile on itsexisting assets in Kurdistan but added: "You might see usfinding opportunities... somewhere outside Kurdistan."

(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla and Ron Bousso; editing by JasonNeely)