Oman's total consumption of natural gas in 2016 rose 2.6% to 40,849mn cubic metre (mncm) against 39,806 mncm in the previous year. The increase in gas consumption last year was mainly because of higher demand from industrial projects and oilfields, while total gas use by power plants recorded a decline. Industrial projects, the biggest natural gas consumer in the sultanate, recorded a 4.6% rise in total gas use, at 23,042 mncm in 2016 against 22,036 mncm in 2015, figures released by National Centre for Statistics and Information showed. Oilfields – where natural gas is mainly used for fuel, re-injection and flaring – recorded 4.4% growth in gas consumption at 9,163 mncm from 8,773 mncm in the previous year. However, gas volumes used for power generation dropped 4% in 2016 to 7,993 mncm from 8,324 mncm in 2015. (Muscat Daily)