RUSSIA Plans to Produce 550 Mln Tons of Oil a Year


Russia is planning to extract 540 million metric tons of oil a year by 2015, Energy and Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko said after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and business elite. The minister reported 482 million tons produced in Russia last year. Half of it was exported.

Mr. Khristenko said Russia would use all options to export its gas bypassing transit countries, which would secure the supply as well as send extra revenues to the Russian budget. The minister cited the Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean project as an example of the consistent state strategy of diversifying export routes.

The Russian energy chief added that Russia would be buying and building oil refineries in the countries which receive Russian oil.

According to Viktor Khristenko, Russia will also be building refineries with the capacity of 10-20 million tons in the country. Half of oil production is currently refined in Russia. The other half is exported. Minister Khristenko noted that the oil refinery industry had been boosted in the previous two years thanks to new export duties.

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