The life cycle of a single oil/gas field is limited

therefore the sustainable production of oil and gas relies on two replacements: the first is tactic replacement

i.e.reserves and production growth in mature oil/gas field (area);the other is strategic replacement

i.e.frontier exploration and development including new domains

new reservoir types

new plays.From Tsarist Russia to the former Soviet Union and to Russia

oil producing areas experienced a close replacement from the first to the second and to third Baku

which provides a good case study for the research on the strategic replacement of production area in China.The analysis of oil production change before and after the breakup of former Soviet Union demonstrates that transferring investment needed for the tactic and strategic replacement from oil industry to other political and economic areas is the major factor influencing the sustainable development of its petroleum industry.If Russia do not reform

open-up and raise enough funds from both domestic and abroad channels now

it will be hard to guarantee the sustainable development of oil industry

the increasing of oil export and the realization of the original objective of "enriching country via oil and gas".The oil production objective rules require us to strengthen the willingness and activeness of tactic and strategic replacement

and continue to "aggressively" realize the sustainable development of oil industry.Finally

the paper proposes the prerequisite to realize strategic replacement: new strategic exploration concept based on the reality

new exploration and development technologies adapted to the complex play and hard conditions

investment guarantee and certain time cycle.