Russia added a record 750 million tons (5.5 billion barrels) of oil to its prospected crude reserves in 2010, Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev said on Saturday, citing preliminary geological prospecting data.
"Now we can say with confidence that we have achieved expanded reproduction of the basic group of natural resources. The increment in oil reserves has registered a record growth of at least 750 million tons. This is 50% more than Russia extracts," Trutnev said at a working meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Trutnev said mainly medium and small deposits had been discovered in the Irkutsk Region in East Siberia and in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous area in northeast Russia.
Trutnev said geological prospecting had also added at least 810 billion cubic meters to Russia's explored natural gas reserves this year.
MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti)
