Question : IMPORT OF CRUDE OIL

(a) whether the import of crude oil has increased to fulfil the demand of oil refineries in the country during the last few years;

(b) if so, the quantity of crude oil imported during each of the last three years and likely to be imported during 2005-06;

(c) the details of the foreign exchange spent during the said period for import of crude oil;

(d) the details of the foreign exchange earned by the refineries from export of petroleum products; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to augment foreign exchange earnings through export of petroleum products?

MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS AND PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 267 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11th AUGUST, 2005 REGARDING IMPORT OF CRUDE OIL.

(a) to (c) Yes, Sir. The quantity of crude oil imported during the last three years along with foreign exchange spent thereon is as under:-

Year	Quantity in (TMT)	Value (Rs. crore)	(Thousand Metric Tonnes)
2002-03	81,989	76,195
2003-04	90,434	82,528
2004-05 (Provisional)	95,857	1,16,806
2005-06 (Estimated)	98,264	1,72,326#
#	=	considering crude prices at US dollar 55 per barrel and exchange rate of Rs.43.50 per US dollar

(d)	The details of foreign exchange earned from export of petroleum products during this period is as under:-
Year	Quantity in (TMT)	Value (Rs. crore)
2002-03	10,289	10,868
2003-04	14,620	16,781
2004-05 (Provisional)	17,527	28,372