Oil demand falls 3.6% in August

Oil demand fell 3.6% in August to 8.5 million tonne with rain and floods in many parts of the country adversely affecting consumption, a petroleum ministry official said.

Petroleum product sales at 8.509 million tonne in August was 3.6% lower than 8.824 million tonne consumption in the same month last year, he said.

Public sector oil retailers reported a marginal drop in demand to 7.509 million tonne from 7.533 million tonne last year. Private retailers, including Reliance Industries, saw sales plummet 22.6% to 9,99,000 tonne in August this year.

While diesel saw a 1.2% drop in demand to 3.131 million tonne from 3.17 million tonne in August 2005, naphtha sales fell 6.4% to 8,41,200 tonne and LDO consumption by 23.7% to 61,900 tonne.

LPG and petrol demand was almost flat at 8,66,600 tonne and 7,57,100 tonne, respectively.

The official said oil product demand between April-August was up 1.6% to 44.835 million tonne as against 44.128 million tonne in the same period the previous year.