India's crude oil production increased for the sixth consecutive month in May.

It expanded by 5.8 per cent due to the output from fields run by Cairn India and Reliance Industries.

Meanwhile, it produced 2.94 million tonnes of crude oil as against 2.78 million tonnes a year ago.

Private sector firms such as Cairn and Reliance produced 63.7 per cent more crude oil, at 691,300 tonnes, in May.

Moreover, Cairn produced about 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) from its Rajasthan fields and Reliance 30,000 bpd from its KG basin oilfields.

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) produced 1.9 per cent less crude oil in May, at 2.024 million tonnes.

This, however, was due to the output of its prime Mumbai High fields had fallen by 2 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes.

Oil India Ltd reported a 23.1 per cent drop in output to 229,700 tonnes.

In the meantime, Reliance also helped India's natural gas production rise for the 15th straight month.

The output rose by 34.4 per cent to 4.58 billion cubic metres.

This is due to output amounting to about 60 million standard cubic metres per day from its KG-D6 fields.

ONGC's gas output was 0.7 per cent lower, at 1.92 bcm.

Refineries turned 7.7 per cent more crude oil into products in May.

Refinery production increased to 13.75 million tonnes from 12.76 million tonnes a year ago.

Additionally, Reliance's Jamnagar refinery turned 5.5 per cent more crude oil into products, at 3.12 million tonnes.

Essar Oil's Vadinar unit achieved a 22.9 per cent increase in production, at 1.25 million tonnes.

Processing, by the state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC), increased by 11.9 per cent to 4.47 million tonnes.