Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Saturday, Dec 7, that Russia will pump more than 520 million tons of crude oil in 2013, a post-Soviet record, according to RIA Novosti.

“This year we expect oil [output] to be about 520 million tons, despite setting a goal of pumping between 505 to 510 million tons,” Novak told reporters during a trip to the United States for meetings with his US counterpart.

In 2012 Russia produced 518 million tons of oil, up from 511.4 million tons in 2011.