WASHINGTON September 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is to increase oil production by 3 percent, i.e., by 30 billion metric tons, before the end of this year, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told a news conference in Washington on Saturday.
Russia is currently producing 9.33 million barrels a day.
Kudrin also said Russia was planning to expand infrastructure for oil production, refining and shipment, citing the Baltic pipeline as well as Barents and Caspian projects.
The 2006 federal budget envisions separate line-item funding for the construction of new pipelines and geological prospecting, the Russian finance minister said.
