Gasoline consumption surges 19.7% in Q1: Govt
1 min read 03 Aug 2023, 05:38 PM ISTTo meet the growing energy demands, Indian refineries presently have a refining capacity of 253.9 million tonnes per annum
PremiumNew Delhi: Gasoline consumption increased 19.7% during the June quarter compared to the same period of last year to a provisional assessment of 9.377 million tonne, minister of state in the ministry of petroleum and natural gas Rameswar Teli said.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the minister said, to meet the growing energy demands, Indian refineries presently have a refining capacity of 253.9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). According to the Centre for High Technology (CHT), this capacity is projected to increase by about 56 MTPA by 2028.
As per Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), projected crude oil production is about 31 MMT during 2027-28. Domestic Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and refineries import crude oil to meet the domestic petroleum, oil, and lubricants consumption and exports.
He added that the government has adopted a five-pronged strategy comprising increasing domestic production of oil and gas, promoting energy efficiency and conservation measures, giving thrust on demand substitution, promoting biofuels and other alternate fuels/ renewables, EV charging facilities and refinery process improvements for reducing the county’s oil dependence on imported crude oil.
Various steps have been taken to boost domestic crude oil production and bring down imports. These include the implementation of policies such as the discovered small field policy, reforms in hydrocarbon exploration and licensing policy, natural gas marketing reforms, and measures to promote enhanced recovery methods for oil and gas.
In addition, government launched National Biofuel Policy, 2018, to boost availability of biofuels in the country and use of alternative clean fuels like ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-CNG.
Ethanol blending in petrol during the ethanol supply year (ESY) 2021-22 (December 2021-November 2022) is estimated to have had impact of over Rs. 22,600 crore on the import bill of crude oil and petroleum products. The National Policy on Biofuels - 2018 targets 20% blending of ethanol in petrol by ESY 2025-26. OMCs have already achieved over 10% ethanol blending in petrol during ethanol supply year (ESY) 2021-22. Sale of E-20 fuel, which is 20% ethanol blended petrol, has also been launched in February 2023.
