As there is an increasing demand for energy it will be necessary to explore new coal and oil deposits in order to put to maximum use the available reserves in Serbia, precisely in East Serbia and Vojvodina. Coal is the most important and the most widely found fuel accounting for 80% of the total energy balance of Serbia. Annual output of the existing and newly opened mines would reach about 3,000 000 tons.
Estimated investments required to increase production in the Kolubara and Kostolac basins and mines amounts to about US $1 011 million. In the forthcoming period it will be necessary to revitalize the existing cost effective capacities and proceed with opening new coal mines such as Melnica near Petrovac, Dobro Selo near Knjazevac and other.
The annual oil output is about one million tons in the oil fields in Vojvodina in the Republic of Serbia. The Oil Industry of Serbia has programs to increase crude oil production and intensify investigations in the new oil fields south of the Sava and the Danube Rivers.
