In the timeframe from January 1 to July 15, 2017, Gazprom increased gas production by 18.8 percent against the corresponding period of the previous year. The company extracted 248.8 billion cubic meters of gas (8.7 tcf), which is 39.3 billion cubic meters (1.3 tcf) more than the figure reported last year, the gas company’s July 17, 2017 press release said.

Over the reporting period, exports of Russia’s gas to foreign countries increased by 11.3 billion cubic meters (0.4 tcf), or 12.3 percent year-on-year. Deliveries to the countries of Northwest and Central Europe have increased overall. In particular, supplies to Germany rose by 16.7 percent, to Austria by 77.2 percent, to the Czech Republic by 24.8 percent, and to Slovakia by 25.8 percent.

It was earlier reported that Gazprom increased the company’s production forecast in 2017 up to 450-454 billion cubic meters (16.03 tcf) of gas from the prior figure of 442.3 billion cubic meters (15.62 tcf). In 2016, Gazprom’s production increased slightly relative to the prior year’s figure, going up by 0.6 billion cubic meters up to 419.1 billion cubic meters (14.80 tcf).

The chairman of Gazprom’s board Alexey Miller said that in 2016 the company increased supplies of gas to foreign countries by 12.5 percent relative to 2015 results to more than 179.3 billion cubic meters (6.33 tcf). That number became a historical record. Exports in the current year can well exceed 180 billion cubic meters of gas (6.35 tcf).