Changes in the domestic market are throwing up challenges for South Korea's four refiners that are likely to leave them struggling over the next few years. One of the biggest is stagnant domestic oil demand. Since peaking at 2.33 million barrels per day in 1997, demand has slipped to around 2.2 million-2.3 million b/d, consultants Facts Global Energy said in a new report - above the country's refining capacity of 2.68 million b/d. One factor behind slowing demand growth is the declining birth rate, which has fallen to 1.22 - the second lowest in the world - and is expected to turn negative in 2019, Statistics Korea says.
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机译：国内市场的变化给韩国的四家炼油厂带来了挑战，这些挑战可能使他们在未来几年内陷入困境。最大的问题之一是国内石油需求停滞。 Facts Global Energy咨询公司在一份新报告中表示，自1997年达到每天233万桶的峰值以来，需求已降至约220万至230万桶/日，高于该国268万桶/日的炼油能力。韩国统计局说，导致需求增长放缓的一个因素是出生率下降，该比率已降至1.22-世界第二低-预计在2019年将变为负数。
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