MOSCOW, May 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's natural gas output declined 17%, year-on-year, in the first four months of 2009 to 198 billion cubic meters, the national statistics service Rosstat said on Monday.

Natural gas output shrank 10.3% in April month-on-month and 24.3% year-on-year, Rosstat said.

Gas production is expected to reach 620-644 billion cubic meters in 2009, with exports estimated at 190-196 billion cubic meters. Output grew 1.6%, year-on-year, in 2008 to 663 billion cubic meters, with exports at 174.3 billion cubic meters worth $66.4 billion.

Russia's crude oil output (including gas condensate) contracted 0.5% in January-April 2009 to 160 million metric tons (1.17 billion barrels).

Domestic oil output in April grew 1.9% year-on-year and declined 2.1% month-on-month, Rosstat said.

Russia's Economics Ministry expects crude oil output to decline 1.1% in 2009 to 482 million metric tons (3.5 billion barrels) with exports to shrink 2.5% to 237 million metric tons (1.7 billion barrels).