Conservation of petroleam produc and ennronment protection
Answers
CONSERVATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
A very high priority is attached by the Government to conservation of petroleum products in view
of the need to reduce ever increasing gap between demand for and indigenous supply of crude
oil and petroleum products.
In the mechanised and the fast-moving world of today the consumption of petroleum products
has become an important yardstick of a country's prosperity.
Despite the discovery of new sources of unconventional energy, petroleum remains the primary
energy source in India, and even more so, all over the world. The consumption of petroleum in
the world, which started as a few tonnes a year around 160 years ago, has reached over 6965
MMT of oil equivalents. per year.
OVERALL STRATEGY OF PROMOTING OIL CONSERVATION
Government has initiated various steps to promote conservation of petroleum products in the
transport, industrial, agricultural and domestic sectors. These include adoption of measures and
practices which are conducive to increase fuel efficiency and training programme in the
transport sector; modernisation of boilers, furnaces and other oil operated equipments with
efficient ones and promotion of fuel efficient practices and equipment in the industrial sector;
standardisation of fuel efficient irrigation pump sets and rectification of existing pump sets to
make them more energy efficient in the agricultural sector and development as well as
promotion of the use of fuel efficient equipment and appliances like kerosene and LPG stoves in
the household sector. These activities are promoted and coordinated by the Petroleum
Conservation Research Association (PCRA) and Oil Marketing Companies under the guidance
and supervision of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
CONSERVATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
1. Oil and gas conservation means their better and more efficient use with regard to economic,
social or environmental costs and benefits, resulting in attainment of higher energy use
efficiencies, minimization of wasteful practices and wastage and protection of the environment.
2. Despite discovery of new sources of unconventional energy and due to existing
inadequacies in supply of other forms of commercial energy relative to demand, petroleum
remains the primary energy source in India and a preferred swing fuel.
3. Out of the known Indian reserves of 760 MMT of Crude Oil and 1.3 Trillion Cubic Meters of
Natural Gas, only a part may be technically and economically feasible to exploit. This fact,
coupled with the present and expected consumption rates implies that these reserves may not
last long. Our present indigenous production is only 37.9 MMT and is less than 25% of our
annual requirement. Therefore, the Government attaches high priority to minimizing the gaps
between indigenous production and consumption of petroleum products. The need of the hour
is to conserve petroleum by its judicious use, substituting it by other resources wherever
feasible and restricting its use only to the essential needs.
4. Various steps are being taken to promote conservation of petroleum products in the
following areas. The following specific activities are taken up from time to time.