The ministry said the growth was partially due to the relatively warm weather at the start of this year compared with the unprecedented cold spell last January, when accidents and technical faults at oil wells resulted in a decline in well reserves.
The main factor contributing to the growth was the use of technology to boost deposits' production efficiency, the ministry said in its review of the country's economic situation.
Exports in January totaled 21.6 million metric tons - an increase of 10.8% on January last year - including 19.3 million metric tons to countries outside the former Soviet Union and 2.3 million to ex-Soviet states. Supplies to the latter dropped 25.8% on January 2006.
"A decline in oil supplies to CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] members was due to a cut in exports to Belarus," the ministry said.
Last month, Russia drastically raised the natural gas price for Belarus and imposed an export duty on oil, making the country less attractive for Russian crude producers and cutting its neighbor's profits from the sale to Europe of oil products refined from Russian crude.
The price for Russia's Urals oil brand in January averaged $50 per barrel, down 15.9% on last January and 13.9% on December, according to the ministry
The economics ministry has downgraded its oil price forecast for Urals in 2007 from $61 to $55 per barrel. In 2008, the ministry expects the price to be about $53, its earlier projection being $56. Forecasts for 2009 and 2010 remained unchanged at $52 and $50 per barrel respectively.
January 2006 saw unusually warm weather in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer, which sent demand and prices down. But later in January, world prices began to grow over colder weather in the U.S. and the country's decision to double its reserves.
The ministry said the oil price was not influenced by the dispute with Belarus, when Russia had to briefly cut off supplies to Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The ministry said the countries were unaffected as they used their reserves during the three-day halt in supplies.
Natural gas production dropped 0.1% in January year-on-year to 60.7 billion cubic meters, according to the ministry, which is due to a decline in consumption at power plants and exports.
The Industry and Energy Ministry said gas exports in January stood at 17.8 million cubic meters, or down 14.8% year on year, including 13.5 billion (down 15.6%) to countries outside the former Soviet Union, and 4.3 billion to the CIS (down 12.2%).
"A decline in gas exports to former Soviet states and other countries in the said period is due to decreasing demand and the warmer weather than in January 2006," the economics ministry said.
