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Energy Info
Hard work pays
UK exploration firm finds oil in Cauvery basin
British company Hardy Oil and Gas Plc has announced that
it has struck oil and gas in the Cauvery Basin on the East
Coast of India. The company said it had discovered hydrocarbons
in the well Fan-A-1 of the CY-OS/2 block, in which it owns
a 75 per cent participating interest and is the operator.
Five of the wells have been identified with potential for
production of hydrocarbons, the company said in a press statement.
The firm now plans to submit a detailed appraisal program
for the contract area to the Government of India, as soon
as the preliminary review of the test results was completed.
Yogeshwar Sharma, Managing Director of Hardy Oil has said:
"Hardy will begin a detailed evaluation of this discovery
and the commercial value of the hydrocarbons encountered."
Vietnam supports India's civilian nuclear programme
India's quest for civil nuclear energy has received support
from Vietnam which is seeking to boost the bilateral economic
engagement by making it 'the focus' country for 2007. Energy-rich
Vietnam is ready to offer oil and gas blocks to India and
favours increased investments from this country for which
it wants establishment of dialogue mechanism. To tap large
potential of trade between the two nations, the South East
Asian country is looking for various measures, particularly
improvement of connectivity through the launch of direct flights
and establishment of shipping services. "We support India
in its peaceful use of nuclear energy like any other country,"
Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Quang Diem said. In the energy sector,
he said Vietnam has huge reserves of coal and "if India
is not competitive, the resources will go to China,"
adding the Chinese procedures "are faster" than
India's. He referred to the large reserves of oil and gas
in Vietnam and said it was ready to offer blocks to India
through competitive bidding. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC) won two blocks last year.
Sustainable Energy to license wind turbine for Indian market
Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. has announced that it
has agreed in principle with Belliss India Limited (Belliss)
to license the Company's Darrieus wind turbine technology
for use in India. Based in New Delhi, Belliss is actively
engaged in the field of system engineering manufacture and
supply of turbines for the Indian power industry ranging from
20 kW to 10,000 kW. A memorandum of understanding, which is
subject to the negotiation of final agreements over the next
few weeks, contemplates that Belliss will prototype, at its
cost, a 250 kW wind turbine design (the Chinook 250) developed
by the company and certified for use in Europe by Germanischer
Lloyd. Should Belliss determine to commercialize the wind
turbine for India, Sustainable Energy will license its technology
and know-how to a joint venture between the company and Belliss
free of charge, but will have the right to acquire up to a
25 percent interest in the joint venture. Conversely, should
Sustainable Energy determine to commercialize the wind turbine
for other markets, Belliss will have the right to acquire
up to a 25 per cent interest in a joint venture to be formed
for that purpose. The Company is also in discussions with
Belliss for a joint venture to manufacture and distribute
its power inverters in India and adjacent markets for solar,
small wind and fuel cell applications.
Blended coal likely for coastal power plants
The Centre is considering revisiting the policy of depending
on imported coal for coastal projects It is contemplating
using blended coal - a combination of domestic and imported
coal - for coastal plants. It might opt for blended coal in
the ultra mega power projects except two of them - Mundra
(Gujarat) and Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) which will be
fired by imported coal. At present there are plans for at
least six coastal ultra mega power projects. While Mundra
project has been awarded to Tata Power, and bidding is on
for Krishnapatnam, projects at Chayyur (Tamil Nadu), Nagapatnam
(Tamil Nadu), Tadri or an alternative site in Karnataka and
Girye in Maharashtra will be considered to be run on a blend
of domestic-imported coal. The government is looking at 40:60
or 50:50 ratio of imported-to-domestic coal.
POWER POINT
NTPC project begins commercial operation
National Thermal Power Corp Ltd. (NTPC) has commenced commercial
operation of the 210 MW Unit-I of Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal
Power Project - Stage III from January 1. With this the total
installed and commercial capacity of the project has increased
to 1050 MW. Thorium power for tie up US-based nuclear fuel
processing company Thorium Power is exploring the possibility
of a joint venture with an Indian company for technology transfer
deal and R&D in the nuclear fuel segment.
Maha CM turns saviour for pipeline
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has intervened
to help out the Gas Authority of India (GAIL) for completion
of its Dahej-Uran gas pipeline by March this year. Work on
GAIL's proposed Rs 1,836-crore, 485-km natural gas pipeline
has been stonewalled due to agitation by farmers in Thane
district of the state. Locals are demanding a higher compensation
package in lieu of their land. The company officials however
say that since they are not acquiring land for laying pipeline,
the compensation for the land would be limited "The completion
of the pipeline is important since it will allow the Dabhol
power project to come back onstream," the chief minister
said.
BHEL bags $86 million order
The state-run electrical equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd said on Monday it has got orders worth $86 million from
the Punjab State Electricity Board. The orders are for the
renovation and modernisation of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal
plant, the company said.
Vishal Exports Hydro foray
Vishal Exports Overseas Ltd. has announced its plans to enter
the hydro power segment apart from its involvement in 100
MW Wind Power Projects. The company has participated in bids
called by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. and has successfully
qualified for a 679 MW project. The project will be completed
in the next four years. Meanwhile VEOL has successfully commissioned
its 40.68 MW Wind Power Project in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
Essar wins $250 mn contract
Essar Oilfields Services Ltd., a subsidiary of Essar Oil Ltd.,
has won a $250 mn contract from Gujarat State Petroleum Corp.
(GSPC) to drill in its gas find in the Krishna Godavari basin.
The company has a two-year drilling contract with GSPC extendable
by two more years and will be executed by Essar Oilfields
Service's 'Essar Wildcat' semi-submersible rig, the firm said
in a press release. Karnataka plans to buy power to meet shortfall
Faced with a severe energy crisis Karnataka is planning to
acquire power from power trading companies, like the Centrally-owned
PTC Ltd. Discussions are currently on to purchase of at least
300 million units per month till April to overcome the shortfall.
The state's daily power requirement at present is about 105
MU. However the availability is only about 80 MU, inclusive
of purchases from the central sector. The situation is likely
to aggravate further next month when irrigation demand picks
up.
Punj Lloyd bags ONGC order
Punj Lloyd's offshore engineering arm, PT Sempec Indonesia,
has secured the prestigious Heera Redevelopment Project on
an EPC basis from Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited
(ONGC). This is the company's single largest Offshore Platform
Project. The order is valued at about $ 290 million. The scope
of work includes surveys, design, engineering procurement,
fabrication, transportation, installation, hook-up, testing,
pre-commissioning and commissioning of 4 unmanned platforms,
70 km of submarine pipeline (rigid & flexible), laying
of 25 km of composite cables, modifications of 7 existing
platforms and installation of a new SBM in Mumbai High South.
Work is to be completed within 16 months. Atul Punj, Chairman,
Punj Lloyd said, "This order is a major milestone for
the company as it catapults Punj Lloyd into the exclusive
club of EPC service providers for marine oil and production
facilities."
OVL for Venezuela
ONGC Videsh Ltd is likely to sign a joint venture agreement
with PDVSA, the national oil company of Venezuela, soon. Discussions
are currently going on and a joint working group will be formed
to examine possible business opportunities. It is reported
officials from the Indian MNC are already in the South American
country to explore the possibilities of the joint venture.
OVL has been offered 30 per cent participating interest in
San Cristobal oil block. The oil field is expected to produce
100,000 barrels of oil per day.
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