MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. Russia needs to ramp up the volume of hydrocarbon exploration work and expand opportunities for the production of new fields of subsoil mineral resources, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting with Federal Subsoil Use Agency Director Evgeny Petrov.

"There is a need to further expand hydrocarbon exploration volumes. No doubt, we definitely need to expand opportunities for mining new subsoil mineral resources and carry out in-depth processing of our general resources and the mineral base, as well as make maximize use of Russian know-how and best practices," the head of the Cabinet said.

Intensive research and development work is now underway to accomplish this objective, Mishustin added.