Infrastructure and Energy Sector

[Indx TechStyle]

India Urges Power Producers to Seek Opportunities Overseas

• NTPC, NLC India should build power plants overseas: Minister.
• India also exploring coal sales to ‘less-privileged’ nations.

India is urging its power producers to look overseas for new markets as fewer new plants are needed at home amid surplus generation capacity.

The Indian government is encouraging state-run power producers to build plants overseas, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in an interview Saturday. The country is projected to report surplus power supply for the first time in at least eight years during the year ending March, even as several parts remain without access to electricity.

“State-run generators NTPC Ltd. and NLC India Ltd. as well as private producers can explore opportunities in India’s neighboring countries and beyond,” Goyal said.

Some have already signed international agreements. NTPC, India’s biggest generator, is building a 1,320 megawatt coal-based power project in Bangladesh and is considering setting up another plant in Sri Lanka. Tata Power Co. Ltd., among India’s biggest private producers, has signed agreements to build two wind power projects in South Africa and has commissioned a 120 megawatt hydro project in Zambia.

Africa Opportunities

“We have nothing beyond Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on our international agenda at the moment,” NTPC’s projects director, S.C. Pandey, said by phone. “But if you’re asking where the opportunities could be available, it will be Africa. They have coal and the demand is increasing.”

India’s coal-based power plants used 60.9 percent of their capacity in June, according to the power ministry’s Central Electricity Authority. Plants operated by private companies and provincial governments reported an even lower utilization rate.

That has led to stockpiling of coal, which helps produce more than three-fourths of India’s electricity. Coal India Ltd., which accounts for more than 80 percent of India’s output, is also seeking markets to export the commodity.

“I don’t think it will have a big market internationally,” Goyal said of India’s coal, citing the high-ash content that makes it less attractive as a fuel. “Still, I have asked my people to start studying if we can export to some of the less-privileged or lesser-developed nations.”

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Govt allots 333% more funds for urban infrastructure

(Representative image)

NEW DELHI: The government has committed Rs 1.13 lakh crore assistance for improving urban infrastructure, which is a 333% increase from Rs 33,902 crore that UPA had approved during its tenure of 10 years under JNNURM, Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday.

He claimed that during 2004-14, the government had approved the construction of 13.7 lakh houses for the urban poor whereas the new government has approved the construction of 9 lakh houses during the last one year. Naidu also said the central government has "mainstreamed" the urban agenda by ending the longstanding neglect to improve living conditions in cities and towns.

Under the new urban missions, an investment potential of about Rs 18 lakh crore has been created of which, an investment of Rs 1.8 lakh crore has already been approved over the last one year.

Naidu said that so far, the total central assistance of Rs 53,747 crore to states and urban local bodies has already been approved for release. This is almost at par with the total central assistance of Rs 54,974 crore that was approved during the entire UPA regime.

The minister also said that 34 countries, including the US and the UK, have so far evinced an interest in investing in 'smart cities' programme announced by the Centre.

Well, few changes in my city as well.
Footpaths at some places, broader roads and cleaner.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Shell Oil to expand in India

Global energy giant Shell Oil has "clear aspirations" to expand its operations in India as the country's energy sector expands, the company's President Bruce Culpepper has said.

"By 2050 world energy demand is projected to double, most of that growth will come from developing countries like India as its per person energy use is expected to increase more than 550 during that time frame," Culpepper said.

"About two-thirds of the India's electricity generation is currently coal based. One of the best ways to provide more energy with fewer emissions is to move from coal fired to gas fired power plants," he said in his keynote address at an event hosted by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) here on Friday.

"This is one area where Shell can be part of the solution as we are now world's largest integrated gas player, with unmatched capabilities to produce or acquire natural gas, liquify it, load it to a specialised tanker and ship it where needed", the Shell president said.

"The environment in which we work is changing rapidly, thus creating considerable opportunity.

These opportunities exist for the people and economies of Houston and India, fostered by the efforts of the (IACCGH) that has been building bridges between the two countries for last over two decades',he said.

Due to its technical talent and growth, Shell wants to continue to be a trusted partner with the Indian government and the people of India by providing energy solutions.

"Shell is the only global oil company with a license to build a network of up to 2000 retail fuel stations", he said.

Shell and JSW Steel were the two companies that participated in the IACCGH programme.

Sharing statistics that showcased the tremendous growth in bilateral trade IACCGH President Joya Shuklaspoke of the Chamber'sinitiative to send business students from Houston to India to intern at companies there to provide a dual perspective on how business is conducted in the two countries.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Methanol Economy: Opportunities in India
NITI Aayog has already set up an Expert Group which will draw up a roadmap for India to tap methanol.
WRITTEN BY TANYA SHRIVASTAVA | NEW DELHI |Published On:September 12, 2016 12:48 PM

With India’s strong stand on climate change and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to use renewable sources of energy, it seems India is taking methanol much more seriously now. At a NITI Aayog seminar on Methanol Economy earlier this month, Minister of Coal and Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan appealed to PSUs to organise startup funds for research in the field, while Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari pushed for an immediate ‘leapfrog’ into the methanol economy. India has even signed a Statement of Intent with the Methanol Institute of the US to further work on the technology.

Incidentally, NITI Aayog has already set up an Expert Group which will draw up a roadmap for India to tap methanol. The country depends on fossil fuels and petroleum for 80-90% of its energy requirements and around Rs. 4.5 lakh crore is spent every year importing oil. But as Nitin Gadkari said India aiming to bring down its import bill for petroleum to zero. Also, fossil fuels in addition to being non-renewable resources are harmful for the environment.

But why methanol as the alternative fuel? Professor G K Satyprakash, author of Beyond Oil and Gas: Methanol Economy and an expert on methanol, calls it the cleanest fuel known to mankind. “Methanol is the simplest form of alcohol — a single carbon solution — since it has no carbon carbon bond they do not emit particulate matter making the fuel clean,” he has been quoted as saying.

It is easy for India to switch to a methanol economy. Methanol can be easily produced from renewable sources like agricultural waste, forest residue and naptha and biomass waste can be converted through gasification. With small, relatively inexpensive, modifications to the engine, petrol and diesel cars can be made methanol compatible. In fact, if the percentage of methanol is under 15 per cent, even existing engines can run the fuel. It is only M-85 (which is 85% methanol and 15 % gasoline) that needs engine modification. Also, methanol production can be an effective waste management method and effectively use the 1 million tonnes of biomass India produces every month to generate fuel.

Methanol is slowly gaining prominence across the world. Israel recently started using methanol as a fuel, while it has been popular in Brazil for many years. China is the largest producer of methanol and has seen a rapid expansion in consumption and production in the last decade. “Today, the largest usage for methanol in China is direct fuel burning. Chinese have started putting 15% methanol in gasoline. They are also running cars trucks and buses on 100% methanol,” Gregory Dolan, CEO, Methanol Institute USA, said in a television interview.

Pradhan thinks a methanol-based economy can create a lot of employment and entrepreneurship in India. V K Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog and chairperson of the committee on methanol, said India should actively explore methanol and DME as possible long-term substitutes of oil and natural gas as the high amounts of agricultural waste can be beneficially converted to power the country. In a recent paper, the NITI Aayog said: “It would provide a feasible and safe way to store energy, make available a convenient liquid fuel, and assure mankind an unlimited source of hydrocarbons while at the same time mitigating the dangers of global warming.”

There is the added benefit that methanol produced here can be exported to neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan which have comparable economies and with similar energy circumstances. Investing in a methanol economy might be the required push for the energy sector, considering the costs of plunging in new technology and implementing it in a nation as big as India it still is a daunting task.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Andhra Pradesh becomes second state to achieve 100% electrification
N Chandrababu Naidu said access to electricity was a key socio-economic development indicator, but this was an area where there was still a significant gap in India.
BY: PTI | VIJAYAWADA |Published On:September 13, 2016 3:20 PM

Andhra Pradesh has become the second state in the country after Gujarat to achieve 100 per cent electrification of households, a latest report has said.

JM Financials published the report based on a national-level survey on electrification in various states.

Discussing this through a tele-conference with top officials of the Energy Department on Tuesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said, “We achieved 100 per cent electrification by June-end. Now, you have to set a target of ensuring uninterrupted world-class quality power supply.”

He said access to electricity was a key socio-economic development indicator, but this was an area where there was still a significant gap in India.

About 35 per cent rural households in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Assam still lacked access to power supply, he claimed.

The Chief Minister asked the Department officials to chalk out an action plan to be implemented from the grassroots level so as to make the power sector self-sufficient in the long run.

“Whatever we have achieved in the power sector in the last two years is no doubt very significant, but is not sufficient.

“We have to render world-class services to the consumers by providing uninterrupted power supply on par with global standards, at affordable prices,” he said.

“Continuous improvement is required and the sector should keep abreast of the latest technological developments,” he added.

Principal Secretary (Energy and Infrastructure) Ajay Jain informed Naidu they were preparing a strategy plan to reduce overall transmission and distribution losses, which currently stood at 10.3 per cent, to single digit by the end of the current financial year.

An investment of Rs 20,000 crore has been proposed over the next five years to strengthen the transmission and distribution systems and extend power supply connection on demand, he said.

Energy efficiency and conservation activities would also be taken up in a big way in all government departments and other sectors, Jain said.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Highway across nations: India approves $1-billion connectivity project

The project -- as per a list is-- includes, among others, an upgrade of the 122-km Siliguri-Mirik-Darjeeling ($15 million) and the widening of the 60-km National Highway-35 (Kolkata-Bangaon) on the border with Bangladesh ($130 million).

NEW DELHI: India has approved an ambitious $1.04-billion project for constructing and upgrading 558 km of roads to link it with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal and ease the movement of passengers and cargo, as part of the larger effort to increase inter-regional trade by 60 per cent.

The new project has been given an official nod by India's Department of Economic Affairs with 50 per cent funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), officials told IANS, adding that the road project will cover West Bengal and Manipur on the Indian side, as of now.

"The mandate is for completing the project within the next two years," a senior official said.

"The primary idea behind the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) road initiative is to improve ground connectivity in the region," said Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

"We have taken up five highway stretches in the country, which are very important for such a connectivity to succeed. This project is entirely different and new -- and about to be rolled out," Nandan told IANS.

The project -- as per a list accessed by IANS -- includes, among others, an upgrade of the 122-km Siliguri-Mirik-Darjeeling ($15 million) and the widening of the 60-km National Highway-35 (Kolkata-Bangaon) on the border with Bangladesh ($130 million).

It also includes a new 123-km road to connect with Diamond harbour, on the outskirts of Kolkata, at a cost of $250 million. All these are in West Bengal and will be entrusted to the state's Public Works Department for execution, officials said.

"This apart, two highways are going to come up in Manipur -- 115-km Ukhrul-Tolloi-Tadubi ($230 million) and a 138-km split, four-lane road between the Kohima-Kedima Kring-Imphal section of National Highway-39 ($280 million)," said A.D. James, Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

"These two roads are to be executed by the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corp. They are currently in the DPR (detailed project report) stage," James told IANS. Officials are also looking at the possibility of shorter routes.

Apart from the works under the $1 billion project, a 600 metre bridge and a 110 km-road in the Impal-Moreh stretch of Manipur are also being planned under the broader BBIN road initiative. The Manila-based bank has agreed to fund up to 50 per cent of this project as well, officials said. The DPR for this is ready. Clearances are awaited from Nepal.

"This bridge will connect Kakarbhitta in Nepal with Panitanki in West Bengal. Once we receive the necessary approvals, we would like to bid for the projects as early as possible, say by November-end," said Anand Kumar, Managing Director, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corp.

The four South Asian nations, led by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari from the Indian side, had signed a landmark Motor Vehicles Agreement in June last year in the Bhutan capital Thimpu to regulate passenger, personnel and cargo vehicular traffic among the South Asian neighbours.

"This agreement between sub-grouping of four South Asian nations -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal -- will pave the way for seamless movement of people and goods across their borders for the benefit and integration of the region and its economic development," Gadkari had said.

A joint statement later said: "Taking note of the finding that transforming transport corridors into economic corridors could potentially increase intra-regional trade within South Asia by almost 60 per cent, and with the rest of the world by over 30 per cent."

As regards the funding, James said talks were simultaneously on with ADB to look beyond the committed 50 per cent. "There are chances that the bank may even fund up to 72 per cent of the total cost for the project. Then we will get around $700 million."

READ MORE:
West Bengal|Thimpu|Nitin Gadkari|National Highway Infrastructure Development Corp|Ministry of Road Transport|Infrastructure Development Corp|Department of Economic Affairs

 

[Indx TechStyle]

From 2018, no more jugaad ambulances

Representative image

NEW DELHI: Taxis merely fitted with flashers, sirens and hardly equipped with gadgets to carry patients safely to hospitals cannot operate as ambulances.The transport ministry has set norms for all new ambulances that will hit roads from April 2018.

The ambulance code has been developed realising that ambulances in India are more like transport vehicles and any vehicle suitable to lay a patient is called an ambulance without consideration to the overall ambulance design.

The ambulance code notified recently has specified that road ambulances will have to be designed and specially equipped for transporting patients and must be capable of providing out-of-hospital care during transit. There will be four categories of road ambulances. Barring the first responder vehicles, the other three category of ambulances -patient transport, basic life support and advanced life support -will have stretchers, traction device, stationary oxygen, cardiac monitor, diagnostic equipment such as BP monitor.

First responders is a concept popular in the UK, Hong Kong and Israel. It has been introduced in Hong Kong and Israel. It has been introduced in India to reach out to patients and injured persons.

While setting norms for ambulances is a positive step, experts said there is a need to ensure people get ambulances. "No one wants to bring a patient on unsafe vehicle. But what are the options they have when ambulances are not available and where people can't pay for the service?" asked road safety expert Rohit Baluja.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

L&T bags orders worth Rs 1,726 crore
By: PTI | New Delhi | Published: September 20, 2016 1:09 PM

L&T said under its heavy civil infrastructure business vertical, it has secured a prestigious order worth Rs 687 crore in the defence sector. (PTI)

Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has bagged orders worth Rs 1,726 crore across various business segments.

“The construction arm of L&T has won orders worth Rs 1,726 crore across various business segments,” L&T said in a BSE filing today.

L&T said under its heavy civil infrastructure business vertical, it has secured a prestigious order worth Rs 687 crore in the defence sector.

While its smart world and communication business has secured an order worth Rs 421 crore from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for engineering, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of Wi-Fi hotspots and Wi-Fi offload systems on turnkey basis for the Southern and Western States of India.

The company’s water and effluent treatment business has won an engineering, procurement and construction order worth Rs 245 crore from Pune Municipal Corporation and power transmission and distribution business has bagged engineering, procurement and construction orders worth Rs 373 crore.

Shares of L&T were trading 0.41 per cent lower at Rs 1,474.10 on BSE.

 

[SANITY]

Asia's longest bridge over Brahmaputra to be ready in 7 months

The strategic Dhola-Sadiya bridge on Brahmaputra will be crucial for defence purposes also. (AP photo)

NEW DELHI: The strategicDhola-Sadiya bridge onBrahmaputra, which will reduce travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by four hours, is likely to be opened to traffic before next monsoon season. The road ministry has approved compensation to property owners to get the required land for building the 2-kilometre approach road on Sadiya side for the project.

Once the Rs 938-crore two-lane project is completed, it will be the longest bridge in Asia and will be crucial for defence purposes also.

The bridge is also being strengthened for the passage of army tanks. At present, there is no bridge fortified for passage of tanks around Tinsukia from where troops can cross over to Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, it will cut time for the armed forces to reach the border in Dibang and Anjaw via Tezpur, which takes two days (about 186 km from Guwahati) now.

The bridge connectivity is also important as Arunachal Pradesh does not have a single operational airport and with China building air strips on its side of the LAC it will come as a shot in the arm for the military. "We will complete work in the next seven to eight months," said an official.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone through the visual presentation of this project when he participated in the North Eastern Council meeting in Shillong early this year.The Rs 938 crore 2-lane bridge project (25.8 km) had started in November 2010.


Construction of this bridge in Assam was approved as a part of Rs 24,000 crore Arunachal Pradesh package to improve road connectivity in the border state.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Asia's longest bridge over Brahmaputra to be ready in 7 months

The strategic Dhola-Sadiya bridge on Brahmaputra will be crucial for defence purposes also. (AP photo)

NEW DELHI: The strategicDhola-Sadiya bridge onBrahmaputra, which will reduce travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by four hours, is likely to be opened to traffic before next monsoon season. The road ministry has approved compensation to property owners to get the required land for building the 2-kilometre approach road on Sadiya side for the project.

Once the Rs 938-crore two-lane project is completed, it will be the longest bridge in Asia and will be crucial for defence purposes also.

The bridge is also being strengthened for the passage of army tanks. At present, there is no bridge fortified for passage of tanks around Tinsukia from where troops can cross over to Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, it will cut time for the armed forces to reach the border in Dibang and Anjaw via Tezpur, which takes two days (about 186 km from Guwahati) now.

The bridge connectivity is also important as Arunachal Pradesh does not have a single operational airport and with China building air strips on its side of the LAC it will come as a shot in the arm for the military. "We will complete work in the next seven to eight months," said an official.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone through the visual presentation of this project when he participated in the North Eastern Council meeting in Shillong early this year.The Rs 938 crore 2-lane bridge project (25.8 km) had started in November 2010.


Construction of this bridge in Assam was approved as a part of Rs 24,000 crore Arunachal Pradesh package to improve road connectivity in the border state.

 

[Chinmoy]

The bridge is also being strengthened for the passage of army tanks. At present, there is no bridge fortified for passage of tanks around Tinsukia from where troops can cross over to Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, it will cut time for the armed forces to reach the border in Dibang and Anjaw via Tezpur, which takes two days (about 186 km from Guwahati) now.

For this, two more bridges are coming up in between Tezpur and Kaliabor, Gohpur and Numaligarh. Tezpur and kaliabor has already a bridge interconnecting them and new one is coming up just beside it, but the Gohpur- Numaligarh would take time.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India Receives Exclusive Rights for Exploring Strategic Minerals in Indian Ocean
The contract will enhance India's presence in the Indian Ocean where China, Korea and Germany are already active.

© AFP 2016/ HO / ISRO
India Successfully Puts Eight Satellites Into Orbit

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — India has signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration of Poly-Metallic Sulphides in the Indian Ocean. Poly-Metallic Sulphides (PMS) are precipitates of hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from the deep interior of the oceanic crust. They contain iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, and platinum in variable constitutions. These minerals are vital for future generations of manufacturing including production of hybrid cars, and smartphones. Currently, China has monopoly over such minerals.

The ISA earlier approved an application submitted by the India's Ministry of Earth Sciences for a 10,000 sq. km. area along with a 15-year plan for exploration.

"By signing the 15-year contract, India's exclusive rights for exploration of PMS in the allotted area in the Indian Ocean will be formalized. Further, it will enhance India's presence in the Indian Ocean where other players like China, Korea and Germany are active," reads a statement of India's Ministry of Earth Sciences.

It is expected that basic exploration activities will require not more than USD 100 million.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

NHAI awards Rs.2,845 crore four-laning contract for Lucknow–Sultanpur section

A total of 27 projects have been awarded under the hybrid annuity model with an approximate length of 1,200 km. Photo by Shah Junaid.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded the four-laning contract for the Lucknow–Sultanpur highway section in poll bound Uttar Pradesh to Dilip Buildcon Ltd.

The Rs.2,845 crore contract awarded under the fourth phase of the National Highways Development Project will cover the 127 km stretch on National Highway (NH)-56.

“The project shall be executed on hybrid annuity mode and completed in 30 months from the date of commencement of the project. Development of this section would reduce the travel time from Lucknow to the holy city of Varanasi and promote tourism in the region,” the government said in a statement on Tuesday.

Under the hybrid annuity model, risks are split between the developer and the government wherein it’s the private partner who bears construction and maintenance risks. In return, the project financing risk is shared between the government and the road developer in the ratio of 40:60. Also, the developer is protected from any revenue or inflation risk.

In January, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the hybrid annuity model for national highways in an attempt to push projects which were either stalled or not awarded due to lack of confidence among developers. After initial reservations about the model which seemed to be favouring developers, lenders are slowly opening up to fund such projects.

A total of 27 projects have been awarded under the hybrid annuity model with an approximate total length of 1,200 km.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led government had announced highway projects worth Rs.2 trillion in the state which are expected to be completed within five years. Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on 15 September had also announced an eight-lane expressway project between Kanpur and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh at a cost of Rs.1,500 crore.

Experts term the move as a “good one”.

“I think it’s a good thing that the government has done. I will call it a politically motivated move only if it is out of the way. I cannot comment on whether it is politically motivated. It is just like any other project,” said Anwarul Hoda, professor at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, a think tank.

Dilip Buildcon has also got the NHAI contract for four-laning of NH-6. In addition, it also has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Eeppurpalem–Ongole project in Andhra Pradesh.

In another development, NHAI is preparing a detailed project report for the four-laning of coastal highways in Kerala and Karnataka, the government said in a separate statement.

The plan is to identify important tourist spots on the route and create wayside amenities on the lines of Ocean Highway in the US.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India Approves $3 Billion Stake Purchase in Russian Oil Fields
Consortium of Indian state-run oil firms to buy stake in Vankor and Taas-Yuryakh oil fields

An all-terrain vehicle rolled past a crude oil storage tank at OAO Rosneft's Vankor oil field in eastern Siberia, Russia, July 18, 2006.Photo: Lucian Kim/Bloomberg

NEW DELHI—India’s federal cabinet on Wednesday approved two deals worth about $3 billion that will allow a consortium of Indian state-run oil companies to buy stakes in two Russian oil fields, a top government official said.

A consortium of Oil India Ltd., Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. and Bharat Petro Resources Ltd., which is the exploration and production arm of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., had in March agreed with Russian state-run oil company Rosneft to buy a 23.9% stake in its Vankor oil fields. The deal, worth about $2.02 billion, was approved by the cabinet Wednesday, said an official, who didn’t wish to be named.

The cabinet also approved another deal worth $1.24 billion reached by the three companies earlier this year to acquire a 29.9% stake in Russia’s Taas-Yuryakh oil field, the official added.

The deals reflect India’s growing interest in snapping up cheap offshore assets amid the tumble in global crude-oil prices.

India is the world’s third-largest energy consumer and imports roughly 75% of its oil. Oil prices fell to nearly 12-year lows this year under pressure from a deepening supply glut and signs of economic weakness in China, the world’s second-biggest oil consumer.

With lower crude prices making investments in energy development abroad more affordable, India has asked state enterprises to look for deals with resource-rich nations such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and, now that international sanctions have lifted, Iran.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India and Russia may agree to create an “energy bridge”

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia could agree to set up the pipeline for gas supply from Russia.

NEW DELHI: India and Russia may agree to create an “energy bridge” – envisaging a gas supply pipeline – at their next annual summit in Goa on October 15, besides additional stakes for Indian companies in oil and gas fields in the Arctic and Baltic regions.

The oil and gas sector is emerging as the next big area of bilateral cooperation after defence.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia could agree to set up the pipeline for gas supply from Russia.

India and Russia launched an industry-level working group on gas delivery from Russia at an inter-governmental commission held in New Delhi in September and directed their ministries to finalise “concrete outcomes” in key areas of trade and investment before the summit.

The working group was led by Gazprom, Russia’s biggest gas company, and a group of Indian companies “for creating an ‘energy bridge’ between the two countries through possible gas pipelines for direct gas delivery from Russia to India,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement dated September 13. Indian and Russian oil and gas companies are working towards finalisation of investments in each other’s countries, the ministry said.

Senior officials told ET that Indian energy companies are exploring investment options in Russian assets in the Baltic and Arctic regions.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on September 28 granted approval to a consortium of state-owned companies to purchase stakes in companies operating two Russian oilfields for more than $3 billion to augment India’s energy security.

The consortium of Oil India Ltd., Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. and Bharat Petro Resources Ltd. will acquire a 23.9% stake in JSC Vankorneft and a 29.9% holding in LLC Taas-Yuryakh. The stakes will be bought from Rosneft Oil Company, Russia’s national oil company, which owns both the operators.

Earlier last month, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, India’s biggest energy explorer, agreed to buy an additional 11% stake in Vankormneft, owner of the Vankor oil and gas fields in Siberia, Rosneft’s second-largest by output, which accounts for 4% of Russia’s production. “Daily production from the field is around 421,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil on an average and together with the earlier acquisition of 15%, ONGC Videsh’s share of daily oil production from Vankor will be about 110,000 bpd,” ONGC said in a statement on September 14. Once the transaction is completed, ONGC Videsh, the company’s overseas arm, will have a 26% stake in JSC Vankorneft.

Following his visit to Russia in June, Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said a consortium of Indian oil companies led by ONGC Videsh was considering purchase of part of the $11 billion stake that Russia was selling in Rosneft.

ET view:
Energy Security

Strengthening India’s energy security and sustained supply of oil is central to the country’s growth agenda. India and Russia have a long standing relationship and securing an economic/energy partnership is important both from the diplomacy and geo-political point of view. It will help counter other partnerships in the region. So, the work towards creating an “energy bridge” is logical.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Waste-to-wealth a Rs 10 lakh crore opportunity for India: Nitin Gadkari

Listing steps to augment infrastructure, the minister said a number of expressways are being planned and he was hopeful that Eastern Peripheral Expressway to decongest Delhi will be ready in a record about 400 days.

NEW DELHI: Conversion of waste into wealth can generate Rs 10 lakh crore per annum for the Indian economy, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"Conversion of waste into wealth could be an economy of Rs 10 lakh crore in India," Gadkari said while addressing the India Economic Summit here.

At a session on 'Building Blocks for Infrastructure Development', the minister said innovation and technology is needed to harness India's huge liquid and solid waste.

Similarly, work is likely to start on Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway while length of the National Highways is being increased to 2 lakh km from the present 96,000 km.

Stressing on development of waterways, Gadkari said tenders would be floated soon to begin work on 36 waterways.

Replying to a query that construction of barrages on Ganga would hinder flow of water, the minister said this was not correct.

At the same time, he stressed that shifting the cargo to waterways from highways would result in savings in logistics cost which in turn would boost the economy.

Gadkari said India has been working to improve its reputation with investors by tackling historical problems.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

30 characters my foot.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Indian Oil to lay India's longest LPG pipeline

LPG will be fed into the pipeline at Kandla port as well as IOC's Koyali refinery in Gujarat.

NEW DELHI: State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) plans to lay the nation's longest LPG pipeline from Gujarat coast to Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh to cater to growing demand for cooking gas in the country.

IOC plans to import LPG at Kandla in Gujarat and move it through the 1,987 kilometer pipeline to Gorakhpur via Ahmedabad (in Gujarat), Ujjain, Bhopal (in Madhya Pradesh), Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Lucknow (in Uttar Pradesh).

The pipeline will carry 3.75 million tons per annum of LPG, IOC said in an application to the sector regulator PNGRB seeking approval for the pipeline project.

LPG will be fed into the pipeline at Kandla port as well as IOC's Koyali refinery in Gujarat.

This will be the biggest LPG pipeline in the country. GAIL currently operates a 1,415-km line from Jamnagar in Gujarat to Loni near here. The line carries 2.5 million tons of LPG annually.

GAIL also has a 623-km Vizag-Secunderabad pipeline. IOC also has a 274-km pipeline from Panipat in Haryana to Jalandhar.

"The demand for LPG is increasing consistently in recent year. Further, due to Government of India's emphasis to make LPG - a clean and environmental friendly fuel, available to every domestic household in the country, LPG demand is expected to increase at much steeper rate in the coming year," IOC said in the application.

IOC expected the deficit between what its refineries produce and the demand to reach about 10 million tons per annum by 2031-32.

LPG demand has grown 10.5 per cent this fiscal with just abouthalf of the 8.4 million tons consumed being locally produced.

"Considering the deficit figures for LPG, it is essential to import LPG at the nearest port and then transport it to the bottling plants through the most economical modes," IOC said.

IOC said it is building additional import capacities at Paradip, Cochin and Kandla to meet the increasing requirements of imports.

"West coast remains most suitable to import LPG to met the demand of North and Central India. Though there is a common carrier pipeline to link West Coast to North ie Jamnagar-Loni pipeline, there is no LPG pipeline in existence or in construction to link West Coast to Central India or Eastern India," it said.

The proposed pipeline will connect eight of IOC's LPG bottling plants in Central and Northern India.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has sought 'expression of interest' from companies wishing to take capacity in the pipeline. 25 per cent of the capacity will be reserved for third parties.

IOC caters to nearly half of country's 18 crore LPG consumers.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Make in India: Ashok Leyland launches first indigenous zero-emission electric bus

Ashok Leyland unveils its first zero-emission electric bus that has been entirely made in India​

Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland on Monday launched ‘Circuit’ Series – first Electric Bus Made in India.

Designed and engineered in India, for India, by Indians – the 100 per cent electric bus is a zero-emission, non-polluting vehicle, created specifically for Indian roads and passenger conditions, the company said in a statement.

This new Circuit range of vehicles will be offered on multiple platforms.

Vinod K Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, said, “The Circuit series of buses is another testament to Ashok Leyland’s commitment to leverage India’s technological innovation to deliver relevant and best-in-class solutions for India and the world".

In April 2015, at FAME Delhi workshop, the company had committed to vehicles with full electric power trains by January 2017. The first vehicle in this new Circuit series, ahead of schedule.

"The product that will enhance the environment in the cities - this is in keeping with Ashok Leyland’s philosophy of ‘Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet’," said Dasari.

The Circuit series vehicles are all exclusively engineered on India-specific platforms that can tackle varied topography, gradients, and usage conditions. Integrated with a fire detection and suppression system (FDSS), this truly Indian innovation can travel 120 kilometers on a single charge.

It is built on a simple, mass-market platform that will enable the operator to cater to customers in city centres with minimal operational and maintenance costs.” said T Venkataraman, Sr Vice President – Global Bus.

Ambuj Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, said, “Today is a very significant day for us as a state and as a country. India’s first ever fully electric bus, developed for India and made in India, is a big leap in mass public transport and we are glad that Ashok Leyland has been able to deliver this."

"This vehicle will support the Government's initiative of reducing fuel import bill and is a promise for a brighter and cleaner future for all of us and for our future generations," he added.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district today.