Aug. crude production falls 1.07%

Colombia's total crude production in August 2003 fell 1.07% to 543,053 barrels a day (b/d) from July, according to preliminary information from state oil company Ecopetrol. Ecopetrol produced 113,184b/d itself (up 0.56% on July); association contracts accounted for a further 411,605b/d (down 1.4%); and concessions the remaining 18,264b/d (down 3.52%). August production statistics were the only figures Ecopetrol updated Monday, when it released other data for July. Total exports of crude in July 2003 rose 1.38% from June to 220,191b/d. The three largest exporters were Ecopetrol, Cusiana BP and Houston Oil Colombia. Crude supplies to Colombian refineries increased 4.98% from June to 297,155b/d in July; the production of derivatives rose 7.63% to 280,680b/d; and domestic fuel consumption increased 3.35% from June to 196,823b/d in July. Total natural gas consumption decreased 4.22% to 527,228 million British Thermal Units a day (mBTU/d). Residential distribution made up the bulk of the demand (43.6%), followed by supplies to thermoelectric power plants (24.9%), Ecopetrol's refineries (19.4%), industry (7%), petrochemicals (2.29%), the secondary market (onward sales by thermoelectric generators, 2.04%), and compressed natural gas (0.77%).