The article deals with the state of the mineral resource base of hydrocarbons, special attention is paid to the use of traditional and non-traditional gas resources, the forecast of providing them to the Russian economy. The main perspective directions of use of natural gas in the country defining its economic development are considered.

The article is devoted to the research of key drivers for Russian internal gas market growth. The author highlights the growth of gasification of Russian regions as one of main factors of internal gas market growth, but its opportunities are limited at the moment. So a new key growth factor may the use of  NGV fuel in Russia. It can cause a positive impulse at the Russian internal gas market in the nearest future.