Latest energy statistics from MED

Energy Minister Pete Hodgson today released latest edition of the Ministry of Economic Development's Energy Data File, a comprehensive biannual volume of energy statistics.

The July 2003 edition of the Energy Data File includes statistics on energy supply, energy demand and energy prices to March 2003. It shows that:

Total primary energy supply (TPES) in the year to March 2003 grew by 3.3% to 786 petajoules. TPES includes imports of oil and oil products. Total (domestic) energy consumption for the same period increased by 6.3% to 509 petajoules, due to a significant increase in domestic transport energy use as outlined below.

Total (premium and regular) petrol consumption increased by 2.4%, diesel by 4.3%, fuel oil by 20% and aviation fuel by 38%. The large increases in fuel oil and aviation fuel use are related to the unusually low consumption in the year to March 2002 associated with the Ansett collapse in the second half of 2001. Total oil consumption thus increased by 6.5%.

The volume of net crude oil imports in the year to March 2003 increased by 9% on the previous year, while New Zealand's production of crude oil, condensate and naptha declined by 4%. New Zealand's self-sufficiency in oil at 28% was 3% lower than for the preceding year.

The share of oil imports as a percentage of all imports increased to 9.8% from 9.1% in value terms, in the year to March 2003, as a result of a 4.5% increase in the real cost of oil imports attributable to an increase of 7% in oil imports.

Coal production in the year to March 2003 increased by 22% on the previous year to 4.8 million tonnes. Total utilisation, including exports, increased by 17% to 4.9 million tonnes for the same period with coal stocks making up the difference.

Total electricity generation for March year 2003 is estimated at 39,971 GWh and is 4.5% higher than for March year 2002, when generation was suppressed due to the winter 2001 savings campaign.

New Zealand gas production in the year to March 2003 declined by 6%, with 75% coming from the Maui field. About 40% was used for petrochemical production, 41% for electricity generation and 19% for industrial, commercial and domestic purposes. Gas used for generation (including cogeneration) was 92 PJ, about 19% lower than for the previous year which included the 2001 cold, dry winter, in which gas generation substituted to some extent for hydro generation.

Remaining gas reserves as at 1 January 2003 reported at 1,487 PJ (gross) have decreased by about 222 PJ compared to the gas reserves as at 1 January 2002. This is mainly related to about 237 PJ of (gross) gas production during calendar year 2002. Remaining Maui gas reserves as at 1 January 2003 reported by Shell Todd Oil Services were 574 PJ, a reduction of 176 PJ compared to an year before. (An assessment by the independent expert, Netherland Sewell, of the Maui gas available under the existing contract as at 1 January 2003 was at 367 PJ considerably less than the total reserves). There has, however, been some upward revision in Kaimiro and McKee reserves and reserves for the Rimu/Kauri field (50 PJ) have been included in the Ministry's totals for the first time.

Attached: "Energy Overview" from Energy Data File July 2003

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