June 6, 2023: India’s new Financial Year 2023-24 started in the month of April as usual. The figures for petroleum products consumption during the beginning of the new FY is available which help an analysis of the trend. Click column Special Database for details.

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June 5, 2023: Domestic natural gas scene presents an unimpressive picture for the month of April with domestic production falling further and the total gas available for sale, even with increased LNG import, was lower than in April 2022. Click column Gas Scene for details.

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June 2, 2023: With domestic production of natural has unable to meet even 50 per cent of the domestic demand, Indian industry has been depending on naphtha to meet its requirement. Petrochemical industry is the largest consumer of naphtha. Of late, a section of the industry is trying to reduce dependence on naphtha through import of ethane. Click column Special Database for details of naphtha’s sector-wise consumption.

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May 25, 2023 | Petro Retailing: Private Players Fumble With Strategic Options | Recently, there was a buzz of excitement over a news report that Jio-bp, the joint venture of Reliance Industries Ltd and British Petroleum (bp), was ready to shake up the retailing segment by selling premium diesel at a price that would be Re 1 per litre lower than that charged at public sector outlets. Competition might be too strong a word to characterise this situation but the move has a symbolic significance that cannot be ignored. Market circles have confirmed the development but it has not triggered any tremor - as yet. One reason for this is that the difference in price is too small to create a major impact. Is Jio-bp testing the waters? These private players have suffered financial losses periodically as they are not in a position to raise retail prices every time that crude oil prices lurch upwards. Since April 2022, the PSUs have not revised the retail prices of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel. The private retailers simply cannot survive by raising prices alone. Click Free Access column Petro Intelligence to read a comprehensive piece on the subject.