MOSCOW, December 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Tuesday its first-half yearly consolidated profit under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) attributable to equity holders rose 80%, year-on-year, to 573.76 bln rubles ($19.6 bln).

Sales in the reporting period grew 52.4% to 1,743 billion rubles ($60 billion).

Net sales of natural gas increased 44% in January-June, year-on-year, to 1,089 billion rubles ($37 billion) primarily due to an increase in the volume of natural gas sold to countries other than former Soviet republics and higher natural gas prices in each geographical segment, the energy giant said in a statement.

Gazprom's net debt balance declined 32% in the reporting period to 836.95 billion rubles ($28.6 billion) largely due to the deconsolidation of Gazprombank Group in June 2008, the statement said.