But the crude oil production in the current year has fallen short by 1.4 per cent over the target which is 16.646 million tonne. The production in Gujarat and Assam units were badly affected. The Gujarat unit of ONGC registered a decline of 3.7 per cent in production, while the Assam unit marked a decline of 6.8 per cent in output in the current period over the corresponding period in the previous year. The Bombay High offshore unit of ONGC also registered a decline of 3.8 per cent in the current period.

The Oil India Ltd (OIL) Assam and Arunachal unit has registered a marginal decline of 0.1 per cent in production in the current period. However, the production by the private sector and joint ventures has risen by 48.3 per cent.

But the total production by the private sector and joint ventures only amount to 2.01 million tonne. The total production by OIL is 1.651 million tonne and that by ONGC is 12.744 million tonne.

The production in Gujarat unit of ONGC was affected by lesss than envisaged response from thermal enhanced oil recovery chemes in heavy oil belt of Messhana, inadequate power supply from Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB) and frequent power cuts which affected production from artificial lift wells. Besides there was increase in water cut, ceasure of wells and delay in R&D projects in Gandhar. There was also less than envisaged gain from exploratory wells in Ankleswar.

The production in Assam unit of ONGC was affected due to increase in water cut in Lakwa field, social and environmental problems and access to well sites being cut off due too recent floods. The wells were closed in Bombay High fields with a view to maintain reservoir health. The crude throughput of all refineries except Barauni, Panipat, BPCL, NRL, MR&PL and RPL exceeded their planned target during September. But in case of Haldia and MRL, Manali, the crude throughput was close to the target. However, in Guwahati and Mathura, the crude throughput is higher than the target due to deferment of M&I shutdown from September 1999 to March 2000 and January-February 2000 respectively.

The reasons for shortfall in crude throughput was that Barauni unit had HSD containment problem, in Panipat unit crude distillation and vacuum distillation was closed down from September 5 to 9 on account of fire and in BPCL there was fire at the off-site fuel oil line in pipetrack no 7.

The cumulative refinery production at this level was 19.1 per cent higher than the production of 32.827 million tonne attained during the corresponding period of the previous year and remained 90.2 per cent lower than the target. The capacity utilisation of refineries in April-September 1999 was 90.5 per cent as against 96.9 per cent in the corresponding period last year. During September 1999, supply of natural gas was 12.7 per cent higher than the supply of September 1998. The cumulative supply of natural gas in the current period remained 0.7 per cent higher than the supply last year.