The Hindu Business Line : Domestic fuel consumption up 1.9% in Sept

New Delhi, Sept. 25 While the domestic fuel consumption in September went up by 1.9 per cent to 9.48 million tonne, the crude oil production in the country saw a marginal decline to 2.794 million tonne (2.814 mt September 2006).

The reason for dip in crude production during September was due to decline in expected output from ONGC’s Gujarat and Assam fields.

For the period April-September 2007, the crude production was up 0.7 per cent to 16.942 million tonne, according to a Petroleum Ministry data. Natural gas production rose 3.6 per cent in September to 2,678 million cubic metres.

For the April-September period the natural gas output was up 1.8 per cent to 15,771 million cubic metres.

September saw a decline of 1.7 per cent in crude oil imports from a year ago as demand growth slowed and some refineries shut units for maintenance, according to the data. Imports are expected to rise in the coming months as domestic demand for oil products tend to pick in the second half of the fiscal year to end-March.

The country imported 8.73 million tonne of crude oil in September, compared with 8.88 million tonne in the same month last year.

The domestic sales of petroleum products saw a lower growth of just 1.9 per cent mainly due less increase in diesel sales during the month. According to the data, the domestic diesel sales were up 2.8 per cent to 3.33 million tonne from 3.24 million tonne during the same month last year.

Petrol sales were up 8.4 per cent from a year earlier, while diesel sales -- which account for nearly a third of domestic consumption -- rose 2.8 per cent.

Refineries produced 6.9 per cent more petroleum products in September at 12.741 million tonne.

They operated at 104.3 per cent of their installed capacity in September and used 103.9 per cent of rated capacity in April-September.

Exports of petroleum products saw 14.9 per cent jump in September mainly due to strong margins overseas and controlled price in the domestic market.

The country exported about 3.2 million tonne of oil products in September.

Oil product imports in September rose 18.3 per cent as state-run refiners shipped in to meet local demand.