Page 8 - AsianOil Week 42

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Indian developers

set to lose out in Iran

PROJECTS & INDIA’S state-run developers are reportedly
COMPANIES set to lose out on the development of Iran’s shal-
low-water Farzad-B natural gas field to domestic
developers.
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas arm
of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC),
discovered the field in 2008 in partnership with
Indian Oil Corp. (IOC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL).
OVL operates the field, which is located The source added that the Iranian govern-
within the 3,500-square km Farsi block, with a ment had invited India to negotiate the project’s
40% interest, while IOC owns 40% and OIL con- development on multiple occasions, adding:
trols the remaining 20%. The block lies in water “India should have responded to Iran’s invitation
depths of 20-90 metres in the Persian Gulf, while and given in writing their interest in the project.
the field is estimated to contain 12.8 trillion cubic It appears they just wanted to buy time to see if
feet (362.5bn cubic metres) of gas. the sanctions are lifted.”
State-owned National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) PTI’s sources said OVL had continued talking
indicated in February that it wanted a local to NIOC following the February revelation and
developer to take over the field’s operations, had sought proposed contract terms and con-
Indian newswire PTI cited anonymous sources ditions, but “Iran has so far not responded” to
as saying on October 19. those requests.
Despite the exploration phase of the Farsi “We offered them many concessions and
contract having expired in 2009, negotiations waited for too long for them to join the project,”
between the Indian consortium and the Iranian Andalu’s source said. “But it is clear that they
government have floundered over the years, with don’t wish to antagonise their friends in US.”
difficult terms and international sanctions cited The source added that Iran wants to proceed
as major stumbling blocks. with the development of the field given concerns
“We gave them multiple ultimatums, including about shared development of the Persian Gulf’s
last year, but probably they had no problem in losing resources.
the project, and being subservient to the US,” Tur- “We share gas fields with other countries like
key-based Anadolu Agency quoted an unnamed Qatar and they have been doing the extraction
source in Tehran as saying on October 21. for years,” the source said.™

OGDCL convoy attacked

by Baloch separatists

POLICY A convoy belonging to Pakistan’s state-run Balochistan-Hub-Karachi coastal highway and
Oil and Gas Development Corporation Ltd heavy exchange of fire took place. The convoy
(OGDCL) has been attacked by separatist mil- was returning to Karachi from Gwadar,” AP
itants in Balochistan Province, leaving at least 14 quoted an unnamed senior Gwadar police offi-
people dead. cial as saying. The militants are believed to have
The convoy was travelling from the port of had access to the convoy’s route, with the police
Gwadar to Karachi City, the capital of Sindh official describing the attack as an ambush.
Province, when it was attacked outside the town He said added: “They were waiting for the
of Ormara on October 15. convoy. Despite the FC and security guards
The Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) sep- losing their lives, the other FC personnel man-
aratist group has claimed responsibility for the aged to safely get the convoy away from the
attack, which killed seven Frontier Corps (FC) spot near Oramara.”
soldiers and seven private security guards. BRAS, an umbrella group of various sep-
“The terrorists attacked the convoy aratist movements within Balochistan, has
from the mountains near Ormara on the railed against the Islamabad government’s

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 42 22•October•2020