The current mineral tax on gas stands at 147 rubles ($5.66) per 1,000 cubic meters. Russia's Minister of Trade and Economic Development German Gref said earlier that a possible increase in the tax from 2008 was being discussed, which, the finance ministry said, "would be correct."
"Unless appropriate measures are taken in the sector, gas output could fall, which may necessitate Central Asian gas imports," Mikhail Popov, Novatek's deputy CEO, told a roundtable as part of the national forum, Russia's Fuel and Energy Sector in the 21st Century.
He said that independent gas companies planned to produce 75 billion cubic meters of gas by 2010.
Earlier, Russia's deputy finance minister Sergei Shatalov said a decision should be made first to link the mineral tax rate to a gas field's depletion, the way it is applicable to the mineral tax on oil. However, he said a differentiated rate could be introduced in 2009-2010.
Opinions on the tax hike issue differ in the government, with some ministers describing the issue as "too sensitive" and saying that it seemed senseless to reduce taxes only to increase them.
