Japan's largest city gas utility Tokyo Gas said Friday it sold 1.015 billion cubic meters (38.57 Bcf) of gas in July, down 3.6% from a year ago, due to overall declines in gas sales, except for industrial customers.
Tokyo Gas' July sales to the business segment, which covers commercial, public and medical services, dropped 15.4% year on year to 224.16 million cu m in July as a result of decreased operation rates.
Sales to households also decreased 8.1% year on year to 150.73 million cu m in July, while its sales to industrial customers rose 4.8% year on year to 463.82 million cu m as a result of increased runs rates.
Tokyo Gas' sales to other utilities, meanwhile, slid 2.8% year on year to 176.45 million cu m in July as a result of reduced demand at its wholesale customers.
Tokyo Gas' sales for the April-July 2011 period were down 2.7% from a year ago at 4.21 billion cu m.
Tokyo Gas also has long-term LNG contracts to import up to 9.95 million mt/year from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Qatar, Australia and Russia.
