Turnaround in Russian oil production in 1997

A specialist on the oil industries of the former Soviet Union examines the factors contributing to increased oil output in the Russian Federation over the first three quarters of 1997, the first such increase to occur in nine years. Particular attention is focused on the growing role played by joint-venture operations with Western partners, regional patterns of output, and the performance of Russian companies in 1997 vis-a-vis 1996. A concluding section examines the outlook for production in light of recent reform initiatives undertaken by the Russian Federation government.