Domestic crude oil production falls 1.4% in December

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.

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.

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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent of its 580,000 bpd capacity.

Public sector refiners saw a capacity utilisation of 103.46%.