Kazakhstan to raise oil production by 9.1 % in 2004

Kazakhstan plans to produce 56 mm tons of oil and gas condensate in 2004, up 9.1 % from 51.3 mm tons in 2003, Kazakh Energy and Mineral Resource Minister Vladimir Shkolnik said at an expanded government meeting in which Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev participated.
"According to the forecasts that we have, we will reach production of 56 mm tons of oil, which means growth of 9.1 % by the end of the year," Shkolnik said.

He also said that this year the republic plans to produce 16.2 bn cm of natural gas, up 15.5 % year-on-year.
He said that coal production would increase 2 % to 85 mm tons, and electricity production would increase 6 %.