India to launch second discovered oil, gas fields auction on Thursday
India to offer 26 areas under its second licensing round for discovered oil and gas fields – government statement * The area on offer have hydrocarbon resource base of 190 million tonnes: Government * In the first round India awarded contracts for 30 areas * First oil/gas from the previously awarded block expected in 2019/12: Government Yasiel Puig Womens Jersey
Amritsar: CNG set to help reduce pollution level in holy city
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the clean burning fuel, is all set to fix air pollution problem in the holy city with as many as four retail outlets of CNG likely to supply the fuel in next couple of months even as the CNG-kit installation facility is yet to begin. Gujarat Gas Limited would open four retail outlets in the city, out of which permission to three outlets had been granted, said deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangah while talking to TOI on Wednesday. He said the administration had always been encouraging to use clean fuel to bring down the pollution levels in the city. Company sources said that the dispensers and compressors would be installed at the existing Indian Oil Limited petrol pumps. “We have already installed a dispenser on a petrol pump near The Mall of Amritsar which will begin supplying CNG in about a months time,” said sources. The company had also laid pipes for supplying Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to households, small businessmen and industry etc. which is likely to replace the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders. Sangha said that CNG was not only economical, but was one of the preferred alternative fuel sources for vehicles. The administration had earlier taken several measures to bring down the air pollution level from the city but to no avail. Diesel-driven auto-rickshaws contribute maximum to the air pollution especially in the vicinity of the Golden Temple. Company source say that with the supply of CNG, the CNG kit manufacturers were all set to establish their renters for installation of CNG kits in petrol drive vehicles. “CNG is more than 55 per cent cheaper than petrol and around 40 per cent cheaper than diesel in running cost per kilometre,” he said. Jarret Stoll Authentic Jersey
South Korea’s KOGAS in talks to buy LNG cargoes for winter: Sources
State-run Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS) is in talks to buy 12 liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for delivery in the winter months, two industry sources said on Wednesday. The company is still in discussion with sellers and is yet to award the contract, one of the sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The cargo delivery period is from October to February, a second source said, though this could not immediately be confirmed. Both sources didn’t want to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media. Marcus Cooper Authentic Jersey
Turkey says to continue buying natural gas from Iran
Turkey will continue to buy natural gas from Iran in accordance with a long-term supply deal, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Wednesday, a day after new US sanctions against Tehran took effect. In an interview on broadcaster A Haber, Donmez said the long-term supply contract with Iran was for 9.5 billion cubic metres and in effect until 2026. Mike Palmateer Authentic Jersey
Reliance Naval sues ONGC for terminating pact for 12 vessels
Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd has approached the Bombay high court against Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC) after the explorer ended a deal for the supply of a dozen vessels to support offshore oil exploration. In its petition, the firm controlled by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd said ONGC has refused to take delivery of the eighth vessel and also invoked a bank guarantee. The company, a part of billionaire Anil Ambani’s diversified Reliance Group, is seeking a refund of more than $6.6 million (about ? 450 million), which ONGC has invoked as performance bank guarantee, along with $15.46 million (about ? 1.05 billion) as payment for the eighth offshore support vessel (OSV) that it built for India’s largest explorer. Reliance Naval also sought the court’s intervention to direct ONGC to take delivery of the eighth vessel. Reliance Naval said in its plea that ONGC had in 2008 floated a tender to build and supply the dozen vessels. At that point in time, erstwhile private shipbuilder Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd had entered into an agreement with Singapore-based Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd to meet the eligibility criteria for technical support to build the vessels. The contract was bagged by Pipavav in 2009. On 4 March 2015, Reliance Defence Systems, a unit of Reliance Infrastructure, acquired Pipavav Defence—then India’s largest shipyard with a licence to build warships—and rechristened it Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd. However, in June 2016, ONGC informed Reliance Naval that it needs to execute a fresh memorandum of understanding with Jurong Shipyard for continuing technical support. However, Reliance responded that all trials concerning the eighth ship have been completed and it also provided the progress report for the remaining four vessels. Reliance Naval, in its subsequent responses, told ONGC the technical pact with Jurong Shipyard is still binding and, therefore, a new agreement isn’t needed. In June 2017, Jurong Shipyard and Reliance Naval entered into an amendment agreement with regards to technical support. The firm had also sought an extension of a year to June 2019 to deliver remaining vessels. However, ONGC categorically informed the shipbuilder that the only reason the eighth ship was not accepted because of change of name issue and the company’s “alleged inability to substantiate Jurong Shipyard’s contribution to the project”. Also, in June 2018, ONGC informed Reliance Naval that the name change has not been accepted by them and also the company is not in a position to give any further extension. “We would like to inform that ONGC has issued a letter dated July 30, 2018, for termination of an old contract dated 16th October 2009 for the supply of 5 out of 12 offshore support vessels,” Reliance Naval informed the stock exchanges on 2 August. “As advised, the termination of the aforesaid contract is arbitrary. The company has taken and will take all necessary steps and actions to protect its rights,” it further added. According to the Bombay high court’s website, a division bench of Justice R.M. Borde and Justice V.M. Deshpande will hear the matter on 9 August. An emailed query to ONGC did not elicit any response. Nishit Dhruva, managing partner of law firm MDP and Partners who is advising ONGC along with senior counsel Kevic Setalvad, confirmed the filing of the case by Reliance Naval, but declined to divulge any details since the matter is sub judice. A spokesperson for Reliance Naval declined to comment on the issue as the matter is in the court. Senior counsel, Venkatesh Dhond who is representing Reliance Naval along with law firm Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe said the company wants to fulfil the contract to deliver all 12 vessels but declined to elaborate.
ENN receives LNG cargo at China’s first major private import terminal
Chinese gas distributor ENN has received its maiden cargo for the country’s first major privately-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, Thomson Reuters Eikon shiptracking data showed. The LNG tanker ‘Stena Blue Sky’ arrived at Zhoushan port on Tuesday after loading the cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG terminal on July 22, the data showed. ENN could not immediately be reached for comment on the matter. The company’s Zhoushan terminal in China’s eastern Zhejiang region, with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year, was expected to start operations in July. ENN has signed long-term deals including sales and purchase agreements with Chevron Corp and Australia’s Origin Energy and also has an agreement to buy LNG from Total . The deals total about 1.5 million tonnes per year of LNG. China overtook South Korea as the world’s second-largest LNG importer in 2017 with imports of 38 million tonnes, 46 percent higher than the year before. The imports soared after the government ordered millions of homes to switch to natural gas and electric heating from coal to counter rising air pollution. To meet the higher demand and to reduce their dependence on supply from state-owned companies, Chinese companies are building their own LNG terminals to import the fuel directly. Peyton Manning Jersey
MEIL to supply cooking gas to 10 districts of Telangana
To supply cooking gas to 10 rural districts of Telangana, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has finalised bids on Tuesday. The Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) has bagged the project to supply cooking gas to the 10 districts covering about 5.5 lakh families. According to a press release by MEIL, of the total bids called for all the districts by PNGRB, Warangal urban, rural, Jayashankar, Bhupalapalli, Mahbubnagar, Jangaon, Bhadradri, Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Yadadri Bhongir districts have been opened and a few more are yet to be opened. PNGRB Chairman Vandana Sharma has sent official communication to MEIL confirming them as successful bidder. The PNGRB has decided to provide cooking gas supply to all the rural areas in the country by 2020. As of now, only Hyderabad has been getting piped cooking gas supply that too only some areas. As of now the Centre has been supply to the needs of Krishna in AP, Tumkur in Karnataka, Gruha in Belgauvi district, but is also taking care of the industry needs in addition to supplying Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to vehicles. Speaking on this occasion, MEIL vice president P. Rajesh Reddy said, “the MEIL, which is supplying Gas with the Slogan, ‘Megha Gas Its smart, Its Good’, is gearing up for Gas supply in the new districts of Telangana by dividing as three units. The company has secured Warangal Urban, Warangal Rural, Jayashankar Bhupalapalli, Mahbubabad and Jangaon districts as one Unit, Bhadradri, Kothagudem, Khammam, districts as the second Unit, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts as the third Unit.” He said a pipeline covering 3,100 km will be laid in all the 10 districts for the supply of cooking gas. While the cost of the Warangal unit is Rs 300 crore, Nalgonda unit cost is Rs 500 crore and Khammam unit cost comes about Rs 300 crore. Megha Gas is already providing its services in Agiripalli and Kanuru of Krishna district, as well as Tumkur and Belgauvi in Karnataka. Thon Maker Womens Jersey
MNGL finds no takers for 2L piped gas connections
The state-owned gas company, Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited, is facing a unique problem — the company has infrastructure ready to provide over two lakh new Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, but there are no takers. According to MNGL officials, the pendency has piled up over the last two to three years. Speaking to TOI, director, commercial for MNGL, Santosh Sontakke said, “There are about 1.25 lakh connections for which the PNG pipelines have been laid from the main line on the road to people’s kitchens. It is a 15-minute task to start the connection in these 1.25 lakh households. However, due to several reasons, these households are not willing to obtain the connections. We cannot force citizens to have PNG connections and so the infrastructure is lying unused.” Sontakke said one of the main reasons for people unwilling to get piped gas is that the pipeline may affect the aesthetics of the house. “Many people are apprehensive that having the pipeline running on the walls may spoil the appeal of the interiors and thus are unwilling. Other reasons include their comfort with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, flats purchased only as investment or occupancy by tenants,” he explained. According to Sontakke, another one lakh connections are pending due to absence or delay in digging permission from the civic bodies. “In areas like Baner, we have created the entire infrastructure in residential societies but we have to take the connection from the main line to the society for which we need permission from Pune Municipal Corporation to dig up the road. However, permissions are either unavailable or delayed and we are unable to carry out the work. In cases of concrete roads, the corporation has told us to wait until the defect liability period of three years is over before we can start work,” he said. Sontakke added that ready-to-fit connections are available in and around areas including Bibvewadi, Model Colony, Kothrud, Baner-Balewadi, Kharadi, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Wanowrie, Hinjewadi, New Sangvi, Chinchwad, Moshi, Rahatni, Thergaon and Wakad. Orlando Cepeda Womens Jersey
Turkmenistan to prepare new gas pipeline construction projects
During a government meeting President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed the importance of resolving the tasks of the fuel and energy complex, including those related to attracting investments for the development of the complex, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper wrote. President Berdimuhamedov gave a number of concrete instructions pointing to the need of taking comprehensive measures to successfully solve the tasks outlined in “Program for the Development of the Oil and Gas Industry of Turkmenistan until 2030”, as well as the preparation of new pipeline construction projects, given the growing demand for natural gas in other countries. According to the BP report, Turkmenistan with its natural gas reserves ranks fourth in the world and presently, the country exports gas to China and Iran. At the same time, Russia, a traditional buyer, completely stopped to buy Turkmen gas in 2016. Construction of the Turkmen section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline (TAPI) was launched in December 2015, while the Afghan section – in February 2018. Turkmen gas is expected to be supplied through TAPI during 2019. The total length of the pipeline with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year will be 1,840 kilometers reaching the settlement of Fazilka on the border with India. Being the leader of the international consortium TAPI Pipeline Company Limited, “Turkmengas” – having a controlling stake – performs the functions of the main financier and manager of the project. The consortium also includes the Afghan Gas Corporation, Pakistan’s Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited Company and India’s GAIL Company. Turkmenistan continues to work on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline construction project, chairman of the Turkmengas state concern Myrat Archayev said at the international gas congress in Avaza in May 2018. The East-West internal pipeline in Turkmenistan, designed for export supplies, has already been constructed. Negotiations on the supply of Turkmen gas to Europe have been held since 2011. The Southern Gas Corridor, including the Trans-Caspian project, remains a priority for the EU. Energy ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vice-President of the European Commission for the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic signed the Ashgabat Declaration on Energy in May 2015. The project of laying a 300-kilometer gas pipeline along the bottom of the Caspian Sea to the shores of Azerbaijan is optimal for the supply of Turkmen resources to the European market. Then, the Turkmen gas may be supplied to Turkey, which borders European countries. Jori Lehtera Jersey
Reliance Industries’ bid for jet fuel JV spooks oil marketing firms, AAI
The oil marketing companies (OMCs) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are unable to decide whether to bring in Reliance Industries (RIL) in the joint venture to sell aviation turbine fuel (ATF), Business Standard reported. While state-run OMCs are blaming the aviation ministry for excluding private players, government sources told the newspaper the OMCs were against the move as they did not want to lose the monopoly in the aviation market. The government has been planning for the three oil marketing companies – Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) – along with the AAI to set up a joint venture to share the ATF infrastructure in India. In the planned joint venture, AAI has a 25 percent stake, BPCL has 18.75 percent, HPCL stands at 18.75 percent while IOC at 37.5 percent. If RIL joins, the share of the OMCs will fall, the report said. Buffalo Bills Jersey