Ministry of Finance has calculated the average price of oil in the first quarter.

The average price for Urals brand oil exists at the level of 43.51 dollars per barrel. The statement was made deputy chief of customs duties Finance Alexander Sakovich, reports RIA Novosti. In the same period last year the figure stood at 93.36 dollars per barrel.
He added that in March the price of Urals had grown up a bit, reaching 45.17 dollars per barrel. In doing so, the export duty on oil from the first of April is calculated based on the price 42 dollars, so the profitability of companies operating in Russia, grew up. "Additional earnings of oil companies was around 23 dollars per ton", - said Sakovich. In April, the fee rate declined from 115.3 to 110 dollars per tonne.
Due to the volatile situation with oil prices the Government of Russia has changed the calculation of export duties. In autumn 2008, the period of monitoring the average price is calculated on the basis of which the fee was reduced from two months to one.
In 2008, oil prices on the world market reached a historic high. In July, the American brand of oil WTI traded at a price of 147 dollars a barrel. However, due to the decline in production and reduce the economic and commercial activity due to global financial crisis, in the second half of the year, prices dropped sharply, down to 35 dollars per barrel in December. In the first quarter of 2009 has been some increase in prices, and by the end of March, oil cost about 50 dollars a barrel. It should be noted that the value of brand Urals, usually a few dollars lower than WTI.
The price of oil was included in the original Russian version of the budget at 95 dollars per barrel. Against the backdrop of changing global environment, energy prices it was decided to change a 41 dollar per barrel.