Crude Oil Output Declines By 0.4 Per Cent

Production of crude oil declined by 0.4 per cent to 2.425 million tonne in February 2002 compared to 2.435 million tonne in February 2001.

Refinery production at 8.543 million tonne was, however, marginally higher compared to 8.520 million tonne crude throughput in February 2001, according to data released by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas here today.

Refineries operated at 98.9 per cent capacity in February compared to 98.7 per cent in the corresponding month last year.

Crude oil production during the first 11 months of the current financial year was 1.7 per cent lower at 29.221 million tonne against 29.725 million tonne during April-February last financial year.

Refineries operated at 95.3 per cent to produce 98.14 million tonne of products during April-February 2001-02 as opposed to 91.3 per cent capacity utilisation producing 93.95 million tonne of products, in the previous year.

Natural gas production was up 1 per cent at 2,308 million cubic metre during February 2002 compared to 2,286 million cubic meter during February 2001, and cumulatively it was 1 per cent higher at 27,188 million cubic metre during April-February 2001-02 against a production of 26,922 million cubic metre during the same period last year.

Crude oil production by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) was marginally higher at 1.864 million tonnes in February 2002 when compared with production of 1.848 million tonnes in the same month last year.

It was, however, 1.9 per cent lower at 22.526 million tonnes in April-February as against 22.962 million tonnes in the corresponding period the previous year.