Rio de Janeiro – Higher competitiveness compared with other inputs and the hike in electricity prices caused natural gas consumption to keep growing in Brazil, to 76 million cubic metres (m³) per day in May. The figures were released by the Brazilian Piped Gas Distributing Companies Association (Abegás) and are up 0.7% from April and 3.7% from May last year.
According to a monthly statistical survey from Abegás, the co-generation industry (simultaneous production of thermal and electric power from a conventional fuel source) was the highlight in May, up 5.7% from April and 14% from May 2013.
The gas industry segment, which has been growing since the beginning of the year, was up 0.4% from May last year, to an average of 29 million m³ per day – the best result since August 2013. May-on-April, the increase was even higher at 1.7%.
Following two straight months of decline, compressed natural gas for the auto industry rebounded in May, up 0.8%. May-on-April. May-on-May, however, compressed natural gas consumption was down 2.9%.
Power generation was up 1.3% May-on-April and 16.3% May-on-May, due to increased demand from thermal power stations, which are working full-tilt to make up for insufficient output from reservoirs in the Southeast/Midwest and Northeast Subsystem.
On the other hand, domestic gas consumption was down 2.7% May-on-April and 14.3% May-on-May. Commercial gas consumption was down 5% May-on-May and 8.5% May-on-April.
Abegás has also recorded a 0.7% increase in number of consumers which reached 2.5 million in the country.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
