Oil consumption 'down 3p.c.’ during late 1979

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 6

Oil consumption 'down 3p.c.’ during late 1979

PA Wellington Oil consumption during the fourth quarter of 1979 was down 3 per cent on the corresponding quarter in 1978, according to provisional figures given by the Ministry of Energy yesterday. But oil imports rose 13 per cent, to compensate, the Ministrv said, for a 47 per cent fall in condensate productions. The main contributors to the reduction in oil consumption were petrol, down 3 per cent, and diesel, down 5 per cent, which the Ministry said showed the effect of the demand-restraint measures. This reflected a 42 per cent reduction in natural gas output, the leaning of Kapuni gas, and the replacement of some Kapuni with Maui gas which has a lower condensate content. Natural gas production in 1978 was i all Kapuni. Oil bought in New Zealand by international transport, at 8 per cent, showed a substantial increase over the> fourth quarter of 1978. This, ;

. however, was not as great as the last quarter’s increase ; of 40 per cent. I There was 71 per cent consumption of natural gas for electricity generation, reflected in a decrease in production. Hydro-power conditions were excellent, the Ministry said. Plentiful water resulted in a 12 per cent increase in hvdro generation which, with geothermal. consequently accounted for 95 per cent of electricity’ production in the quarter. In the corresponding quar- . ter of 1978, electricity con- • sumption rose quite sharply * — 7 per cent. The consumption of gas » by end-use sectors showed a • 13 per cent rise. Coal pro- r duction fell 5 per cent, because of a 36 per cent re- ■ duction in demand for elec- - tricity generation. End-use • consumption, however, was ! up 2 per cent. 1 The over-all result wat a ; 5 per cent reduction in primary energy consumption > and a 0.5 per cent increase in end-use energy con- ; sumption. " •