India to develop Palaly as regional airport
India is carrying out a feasibility study on the Palaly airport to assess its suitability to be utilised as a regional airport. This airport is now a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF)-run facility and is used for military and civilian flights in Sri Lanka. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is now carrying out a feasibility study on the Palaly airport to see how it could be developed, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director General H.M.C. Nimalsiri told the Sunday Times. About four months ago, an AAI team visited Palali to ascertain how the airport could be developed as a regional airport, he said. India has already supported the development of the Palaly airport, providing financial assistance for the reconstruction of about 1,000 metres of the existing 2,300-metre runway.This was done in 2010 on an agreement between the former Mahinda Rajapaksa government and India. Vontaze Burfict Womens Jersey
Regional airlines may get cheaper loans
The government is exploring ways to assist regional airlines in raising loans at cheaper interest rates to import aircraft as a part of the regional connectivity scheme. The civil aviation ministry held a meeting with non-scheduled airlines in which concerns related to the regional connectivity scheme were raised by the operators. “We feel the non-scheduled operators are the most prospective players who will come immediately to become a part of our scheme. Their response in the meeting was encouraging but they had certain concerns which we aim to address,” said a senior civil aviation ministry official. The official said that the present procedure of leasing aircraft becomes tedious for airlines and ministry is looking forward to resolving this. Under the current norms, an aircraft cannot be mortgaged for raising loans to lease another aircraft. The official said it may propose to the Union finance ministry to allow financial institutions to give loans against aircraft mortgage. “We raised the issue related to raising capital and lowering interest rate for acquiring aircraft. There is a need for finance to be made available to us at a lower interest rate and financial institutions should come forward,” said Bhupesh Joshi, governing board member of Business Aircraft Operators Association. Adam Vinatieri Jersey
From next month, airlines to pay huge compensation for cancellation or denying boarding to flier
Cancelling a flight or denying boarding to a flier is going to cost heavily to domestic airlines as the new guidelines by the aviation regulator DGCA provides for massive compensation in such cases. As per the revised compensation norms, which are effective from August 1, an airline will have to pay up to Rs 10,000 to a flier in the case of cancelling/delaying a flight beyond two hours, while the compensation for not allowing a passenger to board the flight stands at up to Rs 20,000. As of now airlines offer a meagre amount of up to Rs 4,000 for both denied boarding and cancelling a flight. Mack Hollins Jersey
Reliance’s fuel exports dip below 10 million tons in April-June
Reliance Industries exported less than 10 million tons of petroleum products for the first time after three quarters, mainly because of increased demand at home. The company exported 9.8 million tons of petroleum products in April-June. In the quarter ended March, the country’s largest petroleum exporter dispatched 10.8 million tons for the overseas market. The company’s exports of refined products during the first quarter of 2016-17 were higher than the 8.5 million tons in the first quarter of 2015-16, pointing to a slow recovery in the export market. The demand for petrol in the domestic market rose 10 per cent, diesel 4.7 per cent and jet fuel 11 per cent during April-June. Exports constituted the bulk of Reliance Industries’ petroleum sales, cornering 59 per cent of the total volume, the company said in a presentation to analysts. Domestic sales undertaken from its own retail outlets and to bulk customers and public sector companies were 4.1 million tons while captive consumption was 2.7 million tons. Reliance Industries’ export earnings continued to dishearten analysts, declining 9.4 per cent to Rs 332.82 billion ($4.9 billion) during the quarter from Rs 367.17 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year due to lower product prices. Of this, exports of refined products were Rs 286.10 billion ($4.2 billion) during the first quarter of 2016-17 as compared to Rs 323.52 billion in the same period a year ago. “Higher retail and PSU sales resulted in lower exports, quarter on quarter,” the company said. Initiatives, including automation, helped the company’s 1,022 retail outlets. These included adding 72 outlets during the quarter. Sales volumes of petrol and diesel were up 21 per cent, quarter on quarter. “The retail outlet throughput was 230 kilolitres per month during the quarter compared to 160 kilolitres per month of key competitors,” the company said. Trans-connect loyalty sales accounted for 30 per cent of diesel sales. Key initiatives in retail included strategic tie-ups with service providers for providing credit solutions. The company also enhanced its supply infrastructure to service retail, bulk and PSU oilmarketing companies through five terminals owned by it and nine hired ones besides 19 depots. The company re-secured its customer base with more than 3.8 per cent market share in bulk sales of diesel after deregulation in October 2014. It also received extension of supplies to Indian Railways and the state transport unit in Pune. “Every 10th Indian Railway locomotive is fuelled by RIL,” the company said. Further, Reliance Industries’ LPG business sales grew by 10 per cent, year on year, to 214,000 tons. During the quarter, it also tested and developed 4 KG LPG cylinder which it plans to launch next month. Retail ATF sales volume grew 38 per cent y-o-y. RIL now has substantial market share at 10 out of 25 airports where it operates, the company said. Troy Brouwer Jersey
MIDC, ONGC in talks over water treatment project
ONGC and MIDC are in talks to set up a Rs 4-5 billion desalination plant at Uran that will yield 20 MLD water, ensuring self-sufficiency for the oil and gas major. Preliminary talks have already been held and a high-level MIDC team is scheduled to visit the plant site in the coming week to do a reconnaissance. MIDC is the principal supplier of 17 MLD treated water to ONGC for the oil refining and natural gas production processes at their Uran unit. However, ONGC took a severe hit last year in June when production process suffered due to erratic supply, said sources. The oil and gas giant is looking for regular supply, as shutting down plants due to erratic water supply affects the processing units. A day’s loss is pegged at several millions. This season, ONGC is getting around 13-14 MLD which is short of its requirement. MIDC has signed MoU with Singapore government for sharing technology on use of recycled water. This will help the state industrial development agency to join the open bidding process for the prestigious project, said MIDC sources. The desalination project will supply treated water through a costly reverse osmosis membrane treatment that only allows water to permeate and filters out all dissolved solids. High pressure is required for the process which yields fairly pure water. But a further disinfection treatment can also be done, if required, where the treated water is exposed to sun rays in open storage tanks for oxidation. Matt Bosher Jersey
Pipe dream becomes a reality
CNG is being piped to around 1,200 houses on a trial basis. After years of grand plans and promises, Bengaluru is set to join a select group of cities where cooking gas is piped directly to the kitchen. Over the past fortnight, GAIL Gas Ltd (formerly Gas Authority of India Ltd) has started supplying natural gas to around 1,200 houses in BEL Colony in north Bengaluru as well as around 50 houses in HSR Layout on a ‘testing/trial’ basis. The network is expected to expand in the coming years. The natural gas is being pumped from Dabhol in Maharashtra. “I had been using piped gas in Mumbai and knew the advantages. The moment I had the chance to get it in Bengaluru, I grabbed the opportunity,” said Anuraj Jain, a resident of HSR Layout, whose apartment complex is connected to the piped gas network. One of the biggest concerns of residents was the safety aspect, but deliberations as well as the experience of other cities eventually convinced them to try piped gas, he said. At BEL Colony, Manjunath Kundgol’s family shifted to piped gas nearly a month ago and says there has been almost no difference in the quality of gas. “It is convenient, as there is no question of the cylinder getting over or waiting for a replacement. We have been told by GAIL that piped gas is cheaper, but we have to wait for the bill to know the cost advantage,” a family member said. The huge BEL canteen in the premises too runs primarily on piped gas now. More households soon The Dabhol to Bengaluru pipeline was commissioned nearly three years allowing GAIL to venture into household gas supply. GAIL authorities said 320 km of pipelines have been laid in Bengaluru. These can serve 4,000 households. By March 2017, the company aims to serve 20,000 households. Currently, only those in HSR Layout, Bellandur, Dollar’s Colony, Singasandra and Manganammapalya can apply to GAIL for piped gas. Over 250 households have sent online requests, officials claimed. The request is followed by a technical feasibility study after which piped connection is provided. The application can cost as much as Rs. 5,800, but officials believed the long-term cost of CNG usage is lower than LPG cylinders. The rate of CNG has been currently fixed at Rs. 22 per standard cubic metre, which is 15 per cent cheaper than subsidised LPG. Adam Humphries Womens Jersey
Assam to receive pre-discounted crude royalty
Assam will get crude oil royalty at pre-discounted price similar to Gujarat with effect from February 1, 2014. According to statement issued by Assam government, “In an order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India on Friday the matter of onshore royalty at pre-discounted prices was examined and based on the interim decision of the Supreme Court dated 13th February, 2014 it was decided that ONGC Limited and Oil India Limited would pay royalty to all similarly placed crude oil producing states, including Assam at pre-discounted prices with effect from 1st February 2014. Russell Bodine Authentic Jersey
Reliance Industries close to starting gas production from CBM blocks in MP
Reliance Industries is on the verge of starting commercial production of natural gas from its coal-bed methane (CBM) blocks in Madhya Pradesh. In a presentation to analysts post April-June earnings announcement, RIL said test gas production from Phase-1 facilities of Sohagpur-West block has commenced while the pipeline that will take the fuel to the consumers is under testing and pre-commissioning. Initial output is likely to be one million standard cubic meters per day of gas. A peak production of 3.5 mmscmd is envisaged from the two Sohagpur blocks in the state. RIL holds 3 CBM blocks — 495 square kilometer Sohagpur (East) and 500 sq km Sohagpur (West) in Madhya Pradesh and Sonhat in Chhattisgarh. “Test gas production from Phase I facilities of Sohagpur West Block has commenced from GGS 11 (Gas Gathering Station) and 107 well-sites,” RIL said. Phase-1 development envisages drilling and completion of 229 wells and installation of 2 gas gathering stations (GGS). RIL, through its subsidiary Reliance Gas Pipelines Ltd, is laying a 312-km pipeline to transport coal gas (CBM) produced from Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh to Phulpur near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. “Testing, pre-commissioning and commissioning activities are in progress for Shahdol-Phulpur pipeline,” RIL said. The pipeline will have a capacity to transport 4.3 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas, including 0.875 mmscmd capacity that will be available for any third party for open access on non-discriminatory basis. The pipeline will travel from Shahdol to Jaysing Nagar- Beohari-Gurh and culminate at Phulpur. At Phulpur, the pipeline may be hooked into state-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd’s main Hazira-Vijaypur-Jagdishpur trunk gas pipeline. Michael Raffl Jersey