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Soviet Union [USSR] Fuel Resource Base
The Soviet Union is self-sufficient in the three major fuels
that drive its industry: coal, natural gas, and oil. It has long
been a major exporter of oil and gas to its allies and to the West,
and hard currency from those exports has financed the purchase of
critical import commodities. In 1985 fuel and energy export
provided 60 percent of Soviet hard-currency income. The question of
which of the three major fuels should be emphasized has been a
matter of continuous scrutiny and adjustment in government policy.
The two largest users of coal are by far the metallurgy and
electric power industries. Large amounts of oil products go for
electric power, agriculture, transportation, and export; large
amounts of natural gas go for electric power, metallurgy, the
chemical industry, construction materials, and export.
Data as of May 1989
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