Australia's domestic jet fuel consumption in June rose to its highest monthly average since July 2019, reflecting that domestic air travel has almost recovered from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The June domestic demand also equated to around 90pc of the average consumption for internal flights during the five years to the 2017-18 fiscal year to 30 June, latest Australian Petroleum Statistics (APS) data showed.
Jet fuel demand for international flights departing Australian airports was also up strongly from a year ago, but remained less than 40pc of pre-Covid-19 demand levels.
Australia's total jet fuel demand averaged 112,800 b/d in June, up by more than 93pc from 58,000 b/d in June 2021 and almost 5pc above the average of 107,600 b/d in May. It also marked the highest monthly average since air travel restrictions were first imposed in March 2020 when demand averaged 114,000 b/d.
June also marked the third straight month of total demand averaging above 100,000 b/d since pre-Covid-19 times. The increase in demand towards the end of 2021-22 underpinned a 33pc year-on-year rise in total average demand to 77,800 b/d for the fiscal year, but this was still well below the 2019-20 average of 126,000 b/d.
Domestic jet fuel demand accounted for the largest share of total demand, averaging 61,500 b/d in June. This was up by 89pc from 32,400 b/d in June 2021 and by almost 4pc from 59,200 b/d in May this year and the highest daily average for a monthly period since 64,600 b/d in July 2019.
Domestic jet fuel consumption above 60,000 b/d reflects that consumption is close to historic averages. Consumption averaged around 66,500 b/d between 2012-13 and 2017-18 and fell below 60,000 b/d in 2018-19.
Jet fuel consumption for international flights departing Australia has further to recover. The June average of 51,300 b/d was the largest monthly average since 67,000 b/d in March 2020 but was around half of the average of 102,800 b/d in 2018-19.
Jet fuel distribution firms are anticipating a further recovery in Australian jet fuel demand, with imports of 122,000 b/d in June marking the second highest monthly import total after the record 126,500 b/d in March 2017.
| Australian jet fuel sales for June | unit (b/d) | ||||
| Period | Domestic | International | Total | Refinery output | Jet fuel imports |
| June '22 | 61,509 | 51,321 | 112,830 | 10,189 | 122,159 |
| May '22 | 59,262 | 48,387 | 107,649 | 10,388 | 75,431 |
| June '21 | 32,472 | 25,840 | 58,312 | 14,578 | 89,937 |
| 2021-22 FY (average) | 41,559 | 36,236 | 77,797 | 10,663 | 65,169 |
| 2020-21 FY (average) | 32,472 | 25,840 | 58,312 | 14,578 | 46,374 |
| 2020-21 vs 2021-22 % ± | 27.98 | 40.23 | 33.41 | -26.86 | 40.53 |
| YoY % ± | 89.42 | 98.61 | 93.49 | -30.11 | 35.83 |
| M % ± | 3.79 | 6.06 | 4.81 | -1.92 | 61.95 |
| Source: APS | |||||
