Sales of petroleum products and liquid biofuels, December 2000, preliminary figures

The deliveries of heating kerosene and heating oil were reduced with 48.7 and 44.7 per cent respectively. Auto diesel and motor gasoline experienced a relatively steep decline of 27.3 and 17.4 per cent respectively. Other products as well showed reduction in deliveries. The reasons for low deliveries of heating products in December are probably high temperatures together with high prices on petroleum products compared with relatively low prices on electricity. The steep decline in deliveries of motor gasoline and auto diesel may have to do with the tax-cut from 1.1.01. Filling stations may have emptied their stocks before the new-year, to avoid selling "expensive" gasoline at a low price later. In addition there were fewer workdays in December 2000 than in December 1999.

Year 2000: Largest decline in heating products

Among the petroleum products, heating products showed the largest decline in deliveries in 2000 compared with 1999. Light heating oil decreased 25.9 per cent and heating and lighting kerosene had a 22.7 per cent reduction..

Deliveries of jet fuel showed a 15.0 per cent decline compared with figures from 1999, 773 million litres were delivered in 2000.

The deliveries of petroleum products were reduced by 9.0 per cent, from 9 959 million litres in 1999 to 9 067 million litres in 2000.

There were 19 delivery days in December 2000 against 23 in December 1999.

Tables:

• Table 1 Deliveries of petroleum products. Million litres. Preliminary figures
• Table 2 Deliveries of petroleum products, by group of purchasers. Million litres. Preliminary figures
• Table 3 Deliveries of petroleum products, by county. Million litres. Preliminary figures