Natural gas production rose 2.4% in the reporting period, to 656.29 billion cubic meters, the ministry said.
Oil output growth continued to slow, from 11% in 2003 to 9% in 2004, to 2.4% in 2005 and to 2.1% in 2006, the ministry said.
Oil companies' inadequate efforts to improve new extraction capacities in light of the depleted growth potential of old deposits, reduced output by the now bankrupt Yukos oil company, an increased tax burden, higher transport rates and lower attractiveness of oil exports by railway and river transport were the main factors impeding oil output expansion, the ministry said.
Russia's LUKoil, Rosneft, TNK-BP, Surgutneftegaz and Gazprom Neft were the leaders in oil and gas condensate production in 2006, the ministry said.
Proven recoverable oil and condensate reserves grew by an estimated 580 million metric tons in 2006, compared with 424.4 million metric tons in 2005, and around 30 new deposits were discovered last year, the ministry said.
In the next five years, geological prospecting will mostly involve promising provinces in West Siberia, the Caspian Sea area, the Timano-Pechora region in northern European Russia, East Siberia, the Far East and the country's continental shelf, the ministry said.
