MOSCOW, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has produced 432.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first eight months of 2006, up 2.6% on the same period last year, the Industry and Energy Ministry said Tuesday.
Russian energy giant Gazprom [GAZP] increased output in the reporting period by 0.8%, to 363.5 billion cubic meters, accounting for about 84% of total gas production (85.5% last year).
The ministry said Russia's coal production in the same period grew 4.5%, to 198 million tons.
