Beijing, July 20 (IANS): China's crude oil output rose slightly year on year in the first half of 2013, according to data released by the country's top economic planner.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a statement that crude oil production stood at 103.31 million tonnes in the first six months, up 3.2 percent from the same period last year, reported Xinhua.

The country refined 217.46 million tonnes of crude oil during the first half, up 6.6 percent year on year, while refined oil products rose by 6 percent to 133.77 million tonnes, the NDRC said Friday.

Apparent consumption of refined oil products rose 4 percent from a year earlier to 126.54 million tonnes.

In the same period, natural gas output rose 9 percent to 58.8 billion cubic meters, while imports climbed 24.6 percent to 24.7 billion cubic meters.

Apparent consumption of natural gas climbed 13.1 percent year on year to 81.5 billion cubic meters, according to the statement.