Russia will increase annual exports of natural gas by 52% to 257 billion cubic meters by 2015, the energy minister said Monday.
"By 2015, Russia's gas exports will grow 52% to 257 bln cu m," Viktor Khristenko said during a meeting of the government commission on energy industry.
Khristenko said that by that time the structure of Russian gas exports will change, and the share of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in exports to Asia-Pacific markets will increase to 61 bln cu m, or 22% of the total export volume.
The minister also said Russia's annual oil production could increase from 472 million tons (3.47 bln bbl) in 2005 to 542 mln tons (3.98 bln bbl) in 2015.
"Oil output growth will be ensured by the development of deposits in East Siberia and the Far East," he said.
Khristenko also said Russia will increase exports of Urals crude from 253 mln tons (1.86 bln bbl) in 2005 to about 300 mln tons (2.2 bln bbl) in 2015.
The Industry and Energy Ministry said on October 3 that Russia is planning to produce 124 mln tons (911.4 mln bbl) of crude and 171.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the fourth quarter of 2006.
(Novosti, 9/10/06)