MOSCOW, July 29 Gas production in Russia in 2023 may drop to the level of the mid-2010s of 620-640 billion cubic meters, Alexander Amiraghyan, Director of the Center for Economics of Fuel and Energy Sectors of the Center for Strategic Research, said in a comment.
Gas production in the first half of the year, according to Rosstat, decreased by 14.9% compared to the same period last year — to 267 billion cubic meters, associated petroleum gas — increased by 3.1%, to 52.7 billion cubic meters, which in total is 319.7 billion cubic meters. This is 12.4% less than in the first half of last year — 365.1 billion cubic meters.
According to Amiraghyan, the rate of decline in Russian gas exports in the second half of the year may slow down due to the low base of the same period last year, which will also affect production figures.
At the same time, production will be supported by the planned increase in gas supplies to China, as well as domestic demand in case of cold weather in autumn and winter, the expert believes.
«Taking this into account, by the end of 2023, gas production in Russia may amount to about 620-640 billion cubic meters, which is 5-8% lower than the level of 2022 and corresponds to the indicators of the mid-2010s,» Amiraghyan said.
According to Rosstat, in 2022, Russia reduced natural gas production by 13.4%, to 573 billion cubic meters, and associated petroleum gas, by 2%, to 99 billion cubic meters.