ENERGY

Oil Exports Plunge in Former Soviet Union : Oil exports from the former Soviet Union, the world’s largest producer, slumped to 53.9 million metric tons in 1991 from 99 million in 1990, Interfax news agency said. Year-to-year exports of petroleum products also dropped to 21.9 million metric tons from 27.5 million, according to the Russian news agency. Output has fallen steadily for the last three years because of antiquated equipment, work stoppages and the lack of hard currency for investment. Some forecasts say the Commonwealth of Independent States, the successor to the Soviet Union, will have to import oil by 1995 if production continues to fall.