MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The oil and gas industry has critical significance for the national economy, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on the occasion of the oil and gas industry workers day in his telegram posted on the Cabinet’s website.

"Owing to the decades-long conscientious labor of industry workers, the Russian oil and gas sector is among the strongest worldwide. Our country takes the lead in production of oil and gas and possesses the branched infrastructure for transportation of hydrocarbons and the fundamental research and material-technical base in the oil and gas sphere," Novak said.

Efforts continue to diversify export supplies of oil and gas, expand partner ties with friendly nations, and develop promising areas of the oil and gas industry, including production of liquefied natural gas and petrochemical and gas chemical items. Particular attention is paid to social gas infrastructure development in Russian regions, the official added.

The oil and gas industry workers day is celebrated in Russia on the first Sunday of September since 1965.