Statistics Committee reports decline in oil, gas, and coal production for first quarter

Between January and March 2026, natural gas production fell to 9.6 billion cubic meters, representing a 15% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. The decline is even more pronounced when compared to 2024 data, showing a total drop of 17.2%. Similarly, oil extraction decreased by 2.2% year-on-year to 157.3 thousand tons, while gas condensate production plummeted by 18.3% to 242.3 thousand tons.

Coal mining also faced a downturn, with volumes falling to 1.1 million tons – an 8.3% decrease from the 1.2 million tons recorded in the first quarter of 2025. However, this figure remains higher than the 1 million tons produced during the same timeframe in 2024.

In contrast, the manufacturing of refined petroleum products showed resilience. Motor gasoline production reached 313.2 thousand tons, a 2.9% increase over last year, though it still lags 13.1% behind 2024 levels. Diesel fuel saw the most dramatic spike, surging by 54.3% from 182 thousand tons in 2025 to 280.9 thousand tons this year.

The electricity sector provided a positive highlight, with total generation rising by 4.7% to reach 22.93 billion kWh. This growth was fueled entirely by small-scale businesses and independent producers, whose output jumped by 49% to 7.05 billion kWh. Conversely, large state enterprises saw their generation drop by 7.5% to 15.88 billion kWh, although their thermal energy production grew by 20.5%, totaling 6.56 million Gcal.

Beyond the energy sector, the construction materials industry maintained a steady upward trajectory. Portland cement production grew by 13.9%, rising from 3.6 million tons in the previous year to 4.1 million tons in the first quarter of 2026.