Agencies: Russia Says OPEC Unlikely To Cut Output At December Meeting

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak says he does not expect the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to take steps to cut oil output at a meeting on Dec. 4, reports Russian news agencies Interfax and TASS.

MOSCOW, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said he does not expect the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to take steps to cut oil output at a meeting on Dec. 4, Russian news agencies Interfax and TASS reported on Friday.

"I consider it unlikely, taking into account the position of the biggest producers," TASS quoted Novak as saying.

Novak also reiterated that Russia would not deliberately cut its own oil output.

"We are not going, let's put it like this, to lower oil production volumes," Novak was quoted by TASS as saying.

"In general we focus on the total amount laid out in the strategy (of energy sector development): around 525 million tonnes (10.5 billion cubic metres per day)," Novak said.

He said earlier that Russian oil production was expected to rise to a post-Soviet record of 533 million tonnes (10.66 million barrels per day) this year after 526.7 million in 2014 but could fall by between 5 and 6 million tonnes in 2017 from the current level due to a rising tax bill.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Jason Bush and David Evans)

MUST READ

Shell Reorganizes as it Plans for 'Prolonged Downturn'

-Jon Mainwaring

'Lower for Longer' Shaping the New Operator Strategic Paradigm

-Delia Morris

Psychology behind the Question: How to Answer Tricky Interview Questions

-Valerie Jones