Agência Brasil*
Rio de Janeiro – The consumption of natural gas in Brazil hit a record high in 2006, at a daily average rate of 41.79 million cubic metres, a 4.3% increase over 2005. According to the Brazilian Association of Piped Gas Distributors (Abegás), the peak of consumption took place in October, when the volume reached 44.5 million cubic metres per day.
According to Abegás, the most pronounced increase in average consumption took place among consumers of Natural Vehicle Gas (NVG). Automobile gas consumption stood at a daily average rate of 6.3 million cubic metres, a volume 19.4% higher than the amount sold in 2005.
In the opposite direction to the expansion of NVG, consumption of gas for generation of electric energy saw a 11% decrease compared with 2005, reaching a daily average of 7.8 million cubic metres in 2006, against 8.8 million cubic metres consumed in 2005.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
