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MOSCOW, June 28 (RIA Novosti) - The net profit of Gazprom [RTS: GAZP] calculated to International Financial Reporting Standards almost doubled in 2006, to 613.3 billion rubles ($23.7 billion), the Russian energy giant said Thursday.
Sale proceeds increased 56%, to 2.15 trillion rubles ($82.7 billion).
Net proceeds from natural gas sales grew 36% to 1.4 trillion rubles ($52 billion), mainly due to a hike in prices for exports to Europe and former Soviet republics and an increase in sales in kind.
Operating costs grew 47% to 1.4 billion rubles ($52 million), which the company attributed to the consolidation of its oil asset Gazprom Neft, controlled since the fourth quarter of 2005.
