15% jump in diesel production

MUSCAT: Production of gas oil (diesel) was up 15 per cent to 11.989 million barrels for the first four months of this year, versus an output of 10.465 million barrels for the corresponding period of 2020, pointing to a recovery in demand for the motor fuel.

Domestic consumption was however down 4 per cent to 4.331 million barrels for the January- April period of this year, versus sales of 4.502 million for the corresponding period of last year, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Diesel exports rose 22 per cent to 7.683 million barrels this year, compared to 6.274 million barrels recorded during the first four months of 2020.

Production of premium automotive fuel (M95) increased 29 per cent to 5.009 million barrels this year versus 3.896 million barrels for the same period of 2020.

Sales were up 20 per cent to 4.251 million barrels, up from 3.551 million barrels for the first four months of last year. Exports of M95 soared 205 per cent to 125,300 barrels this year, compared to 336,400 barrels last year.

On the other hand, production of ordinary automotive fuel (M91) declined 9 per cent to 3.413 million barrels this year, compared 3.760 million barrels during the January-April 2020 period.

Sales during this period totalled 2.606 million barrels, registering a 2 per cent dip from last year’s tally.

Around 844,400 barrels of M91 fuel were exported this year, down 58 per cent from last year’s exports of 2.5 million barrels.

Jet fuel output slumped 46 per cent from last year’s corresponding figure of 3.820 million barrels. Sales were also down 61 per cent to 429,800 barrels this year, versus sales of 198,500 barrels last year. Exports fell 47 per cent to 1.415 million barrels this year, down from 2.660 million barrels last year.

LPG production totalled 2.223 million barrels this year, which was lower by 5 per cent compared to last year’s output of 2.352 million barrels.

Sales reached 2.311 million barrels, up 123 per cent over the same period from 2020 sales of 1.374 million barrels.

Exports reached 261,500 barrels, an 82 per cent decrease from the same period in 2020, when exports reached 1,479,900 barrels. (With inputs from ONA)