MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. Russia’s biggest private crude oil producer Novatek took the lead in terms of oil production growth among oil majors in January-September period this year, according to the documents provided by the Central Dispatching Department of Fuel Energy Complex.

The company’s oil production stood at 794,600 tonnes in October 2015, a 39.8% increase year-on-year.

In the first 9 months of this year Novatek increased its oil output by 48.8% to 7.336 mln tonnes, outstripping RussNeft, which reported 6.227 mln tonnes of output for the period.

Among other Russian oil producers reporting growth of oil production for October, were Bashneft (9.3% to 1.717 mln tonnes), Tatneft (3.7% to 2.342 mln tonnes), Gazprom Neft (3.5% to 4.653 mln tonnes), Gazprom /3.1% to 1.628 mln tonnes/ and Surgutneftegaz (0.5% to 5.253 mln tonnes).

Meanwhile, Russian top oil companies in terms of oil production - Rosneft and Lukoil - reported a decrease of output for October - by 1% and 2.2% to 17.019 mln tonnes and 7.243 mln tonnes, respectively.

In the first 9 months of 2015, Rosneft produced 166.805 mln tonnes (0.9% decrease year-on-year), Lukoil - 71.847 mln tonnes (0.5% decrease), Surgutneftegaz - 51.322 mln tonnes (0.4% increase), Gazprom Neft - 44.955 mln tonnes (5.2% increase), Tatneft - 22.461 mln tonnes (1.7% increase).