Domestic crude oil production during March 2019 stood at 2.85 million tonne. This is 6.16 per cent lower when compared to March 2018. Natural gas production during March 2019 stood at 2815.96 million standard cubic meters (mscm) which is 1.20 per cent higher than gas production during March 2018

But domestic refinery production (a measure of the total crude oil processed) during March 2019 was 22.495 million tonne which is 6.51 per cent higher when compared with March 2018. This means higher imports of crude oil and more pressure on the exchequer.

Cumulative crude oil production during April-March 2018-2019 was 34.20 million tonne which is 4.15 per cent lower than the cumulative production during the corresponding period of last year. Cumulative natural gas production during April-March 2018-2019 stood at 32873.37 mscm which is marginally higher by 0.69 per cent when compared with the production during corresponding period of last year. Cumulative refinery out pur during the April-March 2018-2019 period was 257.20 million tonne which is 2.09 per cent higher than the cumulative production during the corresponding period of last year.

There was lower crude oil production by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) during the period under review due to subsea leakage, electric submersible pump (ESP) problems and loss of production due to the absence of a mobile offshore processing unit. Oil India Limited (OIL) reported lower production during March 2019 due to loss from bandh and miscreant activities in operational areas. There was also less than planned contribution from work over well and drilling wells.

Lower natural gas production by ONGC was because of a decline in pressure/potential in some reservoirs. OIL said that there was lower natural gas production because of loss of potential in Deohal area due to presence of CO2 in production stream. There were also losses from bandh and miscreant activities in operational areas of OIL.

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