RusEnergy

RBC, 18.04.2005, Moscow - Russia's oil output totaled 114 million tons in the first quarter of 2005, 3.6 percent more than in the same period last year, Russia's federal state statistics service reported. Last month, oil production was 4.3 percent up from March 2004, and it was 10.5 percent higher than in February 2005. Primary oil refining stood at 49.3 million tons in January-March 2005, an increase of 3.9 percent on the year. In March 2005, primary refining increased 0.8 percent compared with March 2004, and it was 5.7 percent more than in the previous month. Gasoline production was up 6.8 percent in January-March 2005, at 7.7 million tons. Production of diesel fuel in the same period was reported at 14.4 million, up 5.7 percent. Last year, primary oil refining was 195 million tons, up 2.6 percent compared with the previous year. Production of natural gas was 1.7 percent in the first quarter of this year, at 170 billion cubic meters. In 2004, 591 billion cubic meters of natural gas was produced in the country, 1.6 percent more than in 2003. Generation of electricity in January-March 2005 rose 2 percent, to 267 billion kWh. Last year, production of electricity was up 1.6 percent at 931 billion kWh.