India crude output to rise by 21

Crude to jump to 45.57M tonnes by 2013-14 on new fields like Cairn India's Rajasthan block.

India8217;s crude oil production is likely to jump by 21 per cent to 45.57 million tonnes in 2013-14 vis-a-vis 2010-11 on the back of output from newer fields like the Rajasthan block of Cairn India,said Oil Minister S Jaipal Reddy.

The nation produced 37.68 million tonnes of crude oil in 2010-11,which is expected to rise to 38.18 million tonnes during the current fiscal,he said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha here.

The output is expected to further rise to 42.30 million tonnes in 2012-13 and to 45.57 million tonnes in 2013-14,he said.

India is reliant on imports to meet 79 per cent of its crude oil needs.

The biggest contributor is likely to be Cairn India,whose Rajasthan block is currently producing 125,000 barrels of crude per day,or 6.25 million tonnes a year. The block is projected to produce 240,000 bpd,or 12 million tonnes,by 2013-14.

Reddy said natural gas production will rise by 18 per cent to 61.652 billion cubic metres by 2013-14 from 52.221 bcm in 2010-11.

Gas production is expected to drop to 51.671 bcm this fiscal on account of lower output from Reliance Industries8217; eastern offshore KG-D6 fields. However,it will recover to 52.276 bcm in 2012-13.

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What is more,the country8217;s oil refining capacity is projected to increase to 240.6 million tonnes a year by 2013-14 from 193.386 million tonnes in 2010-11,he said.

The increase in capacity would primarily come from the 15 million tonnes a year refinery Indian Oil Corp IOC is building at Paradip,in Orissa,and the soon-to-be- commissioned,9 million tonnes per annum Bhatinda unit being set up by a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum HPCL and steel baron Lakhsmi Mittal.

Reddy noted that in the current year,a 6 million tonnes refinery at Bina,in Madhya Pradesh,has been commissioned by a joint venture of Bharat Petroleum BPCL and Oman Oil Co.

He also stated,8221;HPCL has commissioned a study on pre-project activities for a 9 million tonnes grassroot refinery at Ratnagiri district,in Maharashtra.8221;

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India,which probably has the largest number of petrol pumps in the world,is likely see the number of fuel retail outlets rise to 45,530 in 2013-14 from 39,430 in 2010-11.

Reddy said the number of LPG consumers is also likely to rise to 15.58 crore in 2013-14 from 12.69 crore in 2010-11.

To a separate question,Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas R P N Singh said India8217;s natural gas demand stood at 262.07 million standard cubic metres per day in 2010-11. Against this,supply was only 163.36 mmscmd.

Of the 163.36 mmscmd supply,126.16 mmscmd came from indigenous gas fields and the remaining 37.2 mmscmd was imported in the form of liquefied natural gas LNG,he said.