Auto diesel sales exceeded 3 billion litres in 2016

Sales of auto diesel ended at 3.14 billion litres in 2016; an increase of 142 million (4.7 per cent) litres from the previous year. This is the first time that sales have exceeded 3 billion litres within a year. Meanwhile, petrol sales decreased by 22.5 million litres, giving total sales of 1.16 billion litres. In 2007, sales of auto diesel exceeded the sale of petrol for the first time, and this trend has continued.

Petrol sales diminish

In the last five years, there has been a steady decrease in petrol sales of between 60 to 90 million litres from one year to the next. From 2015 to 2016, sales decreased by 22.5 million litres, which is a far smaller reduction in sales than we have seen in the last five years.

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Total sales of petrol and auto diesel ended at 4.3 billion litres in 2016; an increase of 119 million litres compared with the previous year. Combined, the two products amounted to 49 per cent of total sales of petroleum products in 2016. 

Biofuels

Biofuels are added to petrol and auto diesel. In 2016, this corresponded to 463.2 million litres. A total of 62.5 million litres of bioethanol was added to petrol, giving a biofuel share of 5.4 per cent. For auto diesel, 400.7 million litres of bio diesel was added, giving a biofuel share of 12.8 per cent.

Small increase in sales of fuel oils

In 2010, sales of fuel oils amounted to 552 million litres. In 2016, sales were reduced by 300 million litres. However, looking at the development from 2015 to 2016, sales increased for the first time since 2010. Sales increased by 6.7 million litres, which is equivalent to 2.7 per cent.

Sales of heating kerosene were 36.2 million litres in 2016, which is a reduction of 0.3 million litres or 0.9 per cent. Sales of fuel oil and heating kerosene make up a small part of the total sales of petroleum products. In 2016 they made up 3.3 per cent. 

Other petroleum products

In 2015, sales of heavy distillate and heavy oils more than halved compared with the previous year. The decrease continued in 2016. Sales ended at 115 million litres; 25 million litres less than in 2015.

Marine gas oils accounted for about 15 per cent of the total sales of petroleum products, and sales ended at 1.3 billion litres in 2016. This is 140 million litres less than 2015. Sales of jet kerosene ended at approximately 1.1 billion litres. This is a reduction of 36 million litres from 2015. Sales of jet kerosene accounted for 12.4 per cent of the total sales of petroleum products in 2016.