MOSCOW, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's oil output declined 0.6% year-on-year in January-June 2008 to 242 million metric tons (1.77 billion barrels), while natural gas production grew 1.7% to 339 billion cu m, the country's statistics body said on Wednesday.

Russia's State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said primary crude refining grew 3.9% in the reporting period to 116 million metric tons (850 million barrels), with gasoline output rising only 0.2% to 17.2 million metric tons.

Diesel fuel production grew 3.8% to 33.6 million metric tons and heating oil 3.6% to 31.8 million metric tons, Rosstat said.