India’s crude imports rose 5 per cent to 172 million tonnes in 2011-12
03 May 2012
India imported 172.11 million tonnes of crude oil for domestic consumption during 2011-12, which was 5 per cent above crude oil imports of 163.59 million tonnes in 2010-11, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas RPN Singh informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.
Overall imports of crude oil into the country stood at 204.8 million tonnes during the year against 196.5 million tonnes in 2010-11, he informed.
The minister also provided provision estimates of the percentage increase in crude oil imports over the last ten years as also details of the total consumption of crude oil in the country.
Actual quantity of imports with percentage increase over the previous year is as follows:
India's crude oil imports rose 4 per cent to 81.99 million tonnes in 2002-03, by 10 per cent to 90.43 million tonnes in 2003-04, by 6 per cent to 95.86 million tonnes in 2004-05, by 4 per cent to 99.41 million tonnes in 2005-06, by 12 per cent to 111.50 million tonnes in 2006-07, by 9 per cent to 121.67 million tonnes in 2007-08, by 9 per cent to 132.78 million tonnes in 2008-09, by 20 per cent to 159.26 million tonnes in 2010-11 and by 3 per cent to 163.59 million tonnes in 2011-12, the minister informed the House.
Meanwhile, he said, Qatar has been India's largest supplier of crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LNG), adding that during his visit to India, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, during 8-10 April 2012, had signed a memorandum of understanding for increased cooperation in the petroleum and allied services sectors.
The increase in import of oil and gas from Qatar will depend on domestic demand in India as well as the price at which LNG is sold by Qatar, he said. GAIL and PLL are in discussion with RasGas, Qatar to secure an additional 3 MMTPA of LNG from Qatar but the deal is subject to suitable price being offered by Qatar, he added.
