Vedanta on Monday reported the production release for the fourth quarter and full year through an exchange filing.
Aluminum production
The company's Alumina production at Lanjigarh refinery was down 7 per cent year-on-year and 18 per cent year-on-year to 411 kt due to planned calciner shutdown. The cast metal Aluminum production increased 1 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter to 574 kt with Jharsuguda ramp up.
Zinc production
The company recorded quarterly mined metal production at 301 kt since UG transition, up 2 per cent year-on-year and 19 per cent in comparison to the quarter that ended in December driven by higher ore production and improved mined metal grades. It also highest ever quarterly refined metal production at 269 kt, up 3 per cent year-on-year and 5 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter on account of better plant and mined metal availability.
Integrated zinc production by the company was at 215 kt, up 2 per cent year-on-year and 2 per cent against the previous quarter. Refined lead production was at 54kt up 10 per cent year-on-year and 17 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter resulting from better plant availability and consistent mined metal flow from mines.
Saleable silver production in the fourth quarter stood 182 tonnes. It increased by 13 per cent year-on-year in line with lead metal production, and 13 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter in line with lead metal production and higher WIP depletion in base period.
Zinc International
The total production increased 14 per cent year-on-year to 63 kt with better production both at Gamsberg and BMM. Gamsberg production by the company increased by 8 per cent year-on-year but it was lower by 7 per cent in comparison to the quarter ending in December due to lower throughput. BMM production was higher by 42 Karnataka Iron Ore - with higher throughput, grades and recoveries but in comparison to the 3rd quarter it was lower by 18 per cent due to lower lead grade and recovery.
Oil and Gas
The average gross operated production was 137,034 boepd. Rajasthan block's average gross production was 112,546 boepd. Gross production from Development Area-1 (DA-1), Development Area-2 (DA-2) and Development Area-3 (DA-3) averaged 98,365 boepd, 14,043 boepd and 137 boepd; respectively. The natural decline in the MBA fields has been partially offset by infill wells brought online in Mangala, Bhagyam, Aishwariya and RDG fields.
Gas production from Raageshwari Deep Gas (RDG) averaged 150.8 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) (equivalent to 25.1 kboepd); Gas sales post captive consumption at 125.3 mmscfd (equivalent to 20.9 kboepd).
Ravva block's average gross production was higher by 1 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter that ended in December at 13,223 boepd, supported by gains from exploration success in the drilling campaign.
Cambay block's average gross production was lower by 18 per cent in comparison to the last quarter at 10,923 boepd, impacted by planned maintenance shutdown in February 2023.
Iron Ore
The saleable ore production from Karnataka was higher by 12 per cent year-on-year and 6 per cent in comparison to the 3rd quarter. While the Pig Iron production increased by 4 per cent year-on-year, it was lower by 7 per cent in comparison to the quarter that ended in December impacted by a relining shutdown in a smaller blast furnace in 4QFY23.
Steel
The total saleable production of steel increased 18 per cent year-on-year with debottlenecking carried out in the first quarter of financial year 2023 to increase hot metal capacity by 0.2 mnt. It increased 26 in comparison to the previous quarter as production was impacted by blast furnace maintenance activities.
FACOR
Ore production in Vedanta increased by 18 per cent year-on-year while it went down by 20 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter, decline is in line with current annual statutory limits. Ferro Chrome production was higher by 8 per cent year-on-year and 2 per cent in comparison to the quarter ending in December with improved productivity of the Charge Chrome plant.
Copper India
Vedanta's Silvassa cathode and wire rod plant continues to operate and caters to the domestic market. Cathode production at Silvassa was 35 kt, up by 2 per cent year-on-year and 1 per cent quarter-on-quarter with improved operational efficiencies.
Power
Vedanta's overall power sales increased by 44 per cent year-on-year and 11 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter to 4,026 million units. TSPL power sales were 2,658 million units with 77 per cent plant availability factor. The Power Purchase Agreement with the Punjab State Electricity Board compensates us based on the availability of the plant, which was above the normative availability of 80%, hence, capacity charges recovered in full for FY23.
At Jharsuguda, power sales were 841 million units while at Balco it was 456 million units. Wind power generation for the quarter was 71 MU, up 8 per cent year-on-year and up 41 per cent in comparison to the previous quarter, depending upon wind velocity & seasonality impact.
