ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Plans of the green course implementation posted by the European Union in mid-July leave no doubt that Europe is clearly set to reduce consumption of hydrocarbons. Therefore, oil and gas producers are likely to lean stronger towards Asian markets that will support demand for conventional energy sources in the next few decades. In this regard, a special attention should be paid to China that has already become the largest importer of Russian oil and has started receiving piped gas from Russia. Actually, Moscow considered Beijing not only as a key consumer of Russian hydrocarbons at present and in the future, but also as a potential creditor, an investor and a supplier of equipment.