The domestic demand for petroleum products saw a 9% increase, to stand at 3,366 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe), at the end of September 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.

This increase is mainly due to the lockdown measures taken by the Government in 2020, according to the monthly bulletin «Energy conjuncture» of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines.

The ministry noted an increase in demand for petrol of 7% and diesel of 12%. The structure of consumption of petroleum products did not change significantly between the end of September 2020 and the end of September 2021, except for a few products, notably Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), whose share went from 16% to 15% and diesel, whose share rose from 46% to 47%.

The consumption of road fuel increased 10% at the end of September 2021 compared to the end of September 2020. It represents 64% of the total consumption of oil products.

LPG consumption increased 1% between the end of September 2021 and the end of September 2020, while paraffin consumption decreased 7% during this period.

The consumption of petroleum coke, used exclusively by cement factories, saw a 17% rise during the same period, according to partially estimated data.

On the other hand, the consumption of private jets saw a 13% increase at the end of September 2021 compared to the same period of the previous year, after several months of decline due to the slowdown in the air transport sector, which is suffering the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From April 2021 onwards, a small recovery was recorded and is progressing with each passing month, according to the same source.

Source: Tap News Agency