India's oil production in Feb dips 6.4 pc on lower pvt sector output

India's oil production fell 6.4 per cent in February as a decline in output from fields operated by private firms negated a rise in production from ONGC fields.

Crude oil production at 2.39 million tonnes in February was 6.41 per cent lower than 2.56 million tonnes output in the same month a year back, according to official data released by the oil ministry here.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) reported a 4.64 per cent rise in production at 1.67 million tonnes as output from its offshore fields saw a pick-up.

However, fields operated by the private sector firms reported a 32.6 per cent drop with those in Rajasthan seeing a sharp 32.3 per cent lower production.

Rajasthan fields operated by Vedanta Ltd was lower because of "shutdown during February 5 to 29, for major plant maintenance activities," the ministry said.

Crude oil production by Oil India Ltd (OIL) in February was 13.13 per cent lower at 240,260 tonnes.

Natural gas production dipped almost 9 per cent to 2.2 billion cubic meters as ONGC logged over 4 per cent lower output on the back of a drop in output from eastern offshore fields.

The ministry said ONGC's lower gas output was due to "less gas production from Vasistha/S1 wells in eastern offshore due to sand incursion issues."