Domestic natural gas production fell for the fourth straight month in March, declining 10.6 per cent year-on-year, while crude oil output rose 12.1 per cent annually. The domestic refiners (both public and private) processed 8.5 per cent more crude oil in March against the previous year.

The natural gas output fell to 4.282 billion cubic metre (4.789 billion cubic metre), according to data released by the Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Gas. This drop was because Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) continued to produce less from its East Coast gas-fields due to reservoir problems. Currently, RIL-operated D6 field, one of the biggest gas-fields in the country, is producing about 50 mscmd of gas from a maximum level of 60 mscmd.

In March, crude oil production rose to 3.315 million tonne (2.958 mt) as output from onshore fields, including Cairn India's Rajasthan fields, surged.

For the full fiscal April-March 2010-11, the natural gas output was up 10 per cent to 52.22 billion cubic metre from the previous fiscal, the data showed. The crude oil output for the just-ended financial year rose 11.9 per cent to 37.71 mt from the earlier fiscal.

Refinery output

Domestic refiners turned 15 mt (13.83 mt) of crude into products in March, according to the data. Public sector refiner Indian Oil Corporation's output rose 8.1 per cent to 4.96 mt in March against the same month last year. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation's output increased 6.5 per cent to 1.576 mt.

Operator of one of the world's biggest refining complex, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), produced 2.91 mt of fuels, an increase of 0.4 per cent. Reliance does not share data for its second refinery in Jamnagar which is in an SEZ.

The capacity utilisation by 17 public sector and two private sector (Reliance and Essar) refineries was 113.7 per cent in March. For the fiscal 2010-11 the domestic refiners processed 3 per cent more crude from the previous fiscal. The refiners turned 164.85 mt of crude.

Imports, exports

Domestic refiners imported 14.328 mt of crude oil in March. Petroleum products imports in March were 1.58 mt, while exports stood at 5.156 mt. For the period April-March 2010-11 crude oil imports stood at 163.508 mt. Petroleum products imports stood at 17 mt, while exports were at 56.437 mt.

The March data included estimated export and imports by Reliance's refinery for February and March. Reliance has provided details of shipments related to the export-focused plant until January.

Consumption

Domestic petroleum products sales stood at 12.82 mt, a 10 per cent increase from February. The consumption estimates represents the market demand and is aggregate of sales by oil companies in the domestic market and consumption through direct imports by private parties. Petrol sales in March were 1.27 mt, diesel 5.46 mt, and LPG 1.329 mt.

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