"This is not a decrease, this is the level the natural gas industry can provide. It will amount to somewhere around 630 [billion cubic meters of gas]," Molodtsov said.
"We expect that oil production will amount to 533 [million metric tons]… 533.6 is the most ambitious forecast," he addedб commenting on the predictions for 2015.
According to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development's forecast, gas production in 2016 will amount to 635 billion cubic meters, in 2017 — 642 billion and in 2018 — 655 billion cubic meters.
First Deputy Minister of Energy Alexey Teksler has said earlier that the ministry has not changed its forecasts concerning oil production in Russia for the years 2015 and 2016, with the country expected to produce 533 million metric tons of oil in each year. In 2017, production is expected to decline by some 10 million metric tons per year, falling to 527 million tons.
