EKATERINBURG, December 30. /TASS/. Oil production in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District in 2016, according to the forecast by the Federal Subsoil Resources Management Agency, will fall by almost 2% to 238.1 million tons, the regional government told TASS Wednesday.

"Projected oil production in 2016 will amount to 238.1 million tons," a representative of the regional government said.

It is expected that at the end of 2015 oil production will amount to 243.1 million tons, which corresponds to the pessimistic scenario, which was voiced in an interview with TASS in October by the governor of the region Natalia Komarova. According to her, at the end of 2015 under favorable conditions oil production was forecasted at 249 million tons, under negative conditions — 243 million tons.

Thus, oil production fell by almost 2.1% compared to 2015.

The regional government said that, given the recent years’ trend, 4-5 new oil deposits will be commissioned in 2016. "Which ones — depends on the subsoil and the current economic situation, so it is not possible to specify the name and approximate volume of reserves," a representative of the regional government said.

Komarova believes that existing deposits, located in the undistributed fund, need to be actively engaged in the development and production of oil.

At the end of 2014 250 million tons of oil was produced in the district.