Natural gas consumption in Argentina rose 3.3% to an average of 133.1 million cubic meters/d in September compared with 128.9 million cu m/d in the year-earlier period, government statistics agency Indec said Friday.
September gas consumption was up 4.1% compared with August's 127.9 million cu m/d, the data showed.
Gas consumption grew by more than a third between 2003 and 2011 on strong economic growth and price controls, but has tapered since 2012 as the economy slows and this year fell into recession. Even so, shortages continue at times of peak demand in the colder months of May to September as gas production continues to decline.
Gas output fell 20% to an average of 114 million cu m/d in the first half of 2014 from 143.1 million in 2004, according to the Argentine Oil and Gas Institute, an industry group. This has led to a rise in imports of Bolivian gas and global supplies of liquefied natural gas.
