A strong case for India at OPEC's International Seminar

Source: PIB, Government of India

The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge), Dharmendra Pradhan (Left) meeting the Russian Energy Minister, Mr. Alexander Novak on the sidelines of OPEC, in Vienna on June 03, 2015. Source: PIB, Government of India.

  Dharmendra Pradhan, India's Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, met his counterparts from Russia, and various other nations at the 6th OPEC International Seminar. During his meeting with Russian Energy Minister Mr Alexander Novak, the two Ministers agreed to expand bilateral energy cooperation. It was agreed to conduct a joint study at an early date for exploring feasibility of crude and gas pipelines from Russia to India. India showed interest to import LNG and crude from Russia. The two sides also reviewing existing Indian investment projects in Russia and discussed possibility of working together in exploration and production sector. Pradhan met Prince Abdul Aziz Bin-Salman, Minister of State for Petroleum of Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, Pradhan reiterated the need to intensify bilateral energy engagements between India and Saudi Arabia from a “buyer-seller” relationship to that of an “Energy Partnership”. The two Ministers agreed to explore and identify concrete avenues of energy cooperation between the two countries. During his meeting with Minister of Petroleum of Iran, Bijan Namdar Zangenah the two Ministers discussed about Indian involvement in exploration and production projects in Iran and possibility of building gas pipeline from Iran to India through various alternate routes. Pradhan met Minister of Energy & Industry of Qatar, Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada. They discussed the existing bilateral issues including supply of long-term LNG supply to India. They also discussed the global scenario of LNG market and recent changes in it. During his meeting with Minister of Oil of Kuwait, Ali Saleh Al-Omair, Pradhan invited investment from Kuwait in Indian refining and petro-chemical sector. The Kuwait side showed interest in these projects. Pradhan discussed broad range of issues with Minister of Oil of Iraq, Adil Abd Al-Mahdi. Iraq is second biggest source of crude oil for India. Possibility of Indian public and private sector involvement in Iraqi hydrocarbon sector was also discussed. During his meeting with Minister of Energy of UAE, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Pradhan highlighted the possibility of collaboration in all streams of hydrocarbon sector between India and UAE including in skill development and service sector. It was agreed to have regular interaction between the two sides to take the energy cooperation forward. Pradhan met Minister of Petroleum of Angola, Jose Maria Botelho Vasconcelos. He proposed that Indian public and private sector companies would like to invest in upstream and LNG sector of Angola. The two sides agreed to identify concrete projects of cooperation at an early date. During his meeting with Minister of Popular Power of petroleum and Mining, Asdrubal Chavez J, Pradhan proposed to set up a joint mechanism to settle all outstanding commercial issues. The Venezuela side agreed to consider this. It may be mentioned that Venezuela is the third biggest source of crude import for India and ONGC Videsh Ltd has investment in oil blocks in Venezuela. Pradhan also met the Executive Director of International Energy Agency (IEA) during which they agreed to advance cooperation in various sectors of oil and gas.      

June 05, 2015 | 03:29 pm IST.