Australian crude oil and condensateoutput fell 7.6 pct to 23,480 megalitres, or about 147 mln
barrels, in the first nine months of fiscal 1986/87 ending June
30, the Department of Resources and Energy said.
    The decline in production in the nine months to end-March
reflected mainly a sharp dip early in the fiscal year, when low
oil prices and high marginal excise rates led to a reduction of
output from Bass Strait, department figures in its Major Energy
Statistics publication show.
    A megalitre is 6,290 barrels.
 REUTER
