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Domestic crude oil production falls 1.4% in December

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) reported a 0.7% rise in output at 1.9 million tons on the back of 5% surge in offshore production

<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-33742723/stock-photo-many-barrels-of-oil-on-a-white-background.html?src=4E5JmKDWXyFhy3gm4lyKlQ-1-32" target="_blank">Crude Oil</a> image via Shutterstock
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Jan 21 2015 | 4:34 PM IST
India's crude oil production fell 1.4% in December as output from oilfields operated by private companies like Cairn India fell sharply.

Crude oil production at 3.21 million tons in December 2014 was 1.4% lower than 3.25 million tons in the same month a year ago, according to latest data released by Petroleum Ministry here today.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) reported a 0.7% rise in output at 1.9 million tons on the back of 5% surge in offshore production.

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However, privately operated fields reported a 5.2% drop in production at 1.02 million tons. Rajasthan oilfields of Cairn saw production drop 7.8% to 765,049 tons, it said.

Natural gas production dipped 3.5% to 2.89 billion cubic meters as output from privately operated fields like Reliance Industries' eastern offshore KG-D6 block continued to decline.

ONGC's gas production was down 5.1% at 1.89 bcm while output by private firms from offshore fields too declined by 4.5% to 641.86 million cubic meters.

The nation's 22 refineries produced 19.72 million tons of petroleum products in December, 6.1% more than 18.6 million tons fuel produced in December 2013.

While RIL's older refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat saw crude throughput surging 26.7% to 2.8 million tons, its adjacent only-for-exports unit reported a 1.6% drop at 3.1 million tons. Essar Oil's neighbouring Vadinar refinery throughput was up nearly a% to 1.75 million tons.

Crude throughput or the quantum of crude oil turned into petroleum products (fuel), by public sector refiners was up 4% at 10.54 million tons.

While RIL's older refinery operated at 99.93% of its 660,000 barrels per day capacity, the newer export-oriented unit (SEZ refinery) slogged 138% of its 580,000 bpd capacity.

Public sector refiners saw a capacity utilisation of 103.46%.

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First Published: Jan 21 2015 | 4:25 PM IST

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