UK Oil Production Down 12.8%

* Total indigenous UK production of crude oil and NGLs in the third quarter of 2005 decreased by 12.8 per cent compared with 2004 to 19.3 million tonnes. Seven new fields started production after September 2004 but production from these fields was insufficient to make up for the general decline in production from older established fields.

* The UK was a net importer of oil and oil products in the third quarter of 2005. This was because there was a large amount of planned maintenance work on North Sea oil platforms that coincided with the shutdown of the large Schiehallion field because of a fire and the prolonged planned maintenance shutdown of one major oil refinery.
* Overall primary demand for oil products in the third quarter of 2005 was 2.2 per cent higher than last year.

* Deliveries of unleaded motor spirit fell by 8.2 per cent. Deliveries of Derv fuel and aviation turbine fuel increased by 6.9 and 15.6 per cent respectively.

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