Bahrains new oil and gas statistics revealed soaring exports over the first half of this year, according to a report released by the National Oil and Gas Authority. By-product sales also rose by 10 per cent. Production of crude from the Bahrain and Abu Saafa fields dropped slightly to 32.659mn barrels from 32.922mn barrels last year.
"The slight drop followed regular maintenance work conducted at the Bahrain Oil Field which caused certain production units to stop," the report said. Bapco is upgrading the 78-year-old field to boost its average output. Bahrain has since set up the Tatweer Oil Company to boost production.
"Positive results from these investments are expected to emerge later this year and in the near future," the report said. Oil imports from Saudi Arabia topped 42.663mn barrels, up from 38.515mn barrels in the same period last year, a net increase of 10.8 per cent. Daily imports rose 236,000 barrels from 213,000 last year. The report said the increase in imports was a result of "soaring demand" for Bahrain's high quality oil by-products.
Nearly 48mn barrels were pumped into the Bahrain Refinery, up from 45.050mn barrels last year, a 6.5 per cent increase. This included crude imported from neighbouring Saudi Arabia, in addition to that from the Bahrain Field. A total 264,952 barrels were processed daily, up from 248,895 last year. The Bahrain Refinery's overall production in the first six months rose to 48.777mn barrels, up 7.1 per cent.
Bahrain's exports of oil by-products soared 10 per cent to top 42.171mn barrels, up from 38.360mn barrels last year. Exports of oil by-products include naphtha, petrol, kerosene, aviation fuel, diesel, cooking fuel, sulphur and asphalt.
