India gives more time for ONGC-RIL offshore dispute report

The Indian government has given more time to a committee looking into a dispute between the countries largest oil companies ONGC and Reliance Industries over their respective offshore blocks in the Bay of Bengal.

Shri Ajit Prakash Shan , former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court was in December 2015 assigned as part of a single member committee to look into the dispute between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and ONGC regarding ONGC blocks (KG-DWN-98/2 & Godavari PML) and RIL block (KG-DWN-98/3) in Krishna Godavari basin. The dispute stems form an alleged migration of gas from ONGC’s block into the Reliance’s one.

The committee was to file the report from its findings in three months time.

However, the committee has now sought an extension until August 21, 2016, citing the volume of work involved and complexity of the issue. The extension has been granted by the government.

In its update on Wednesday, the petroleum ministry said that the committee’s terms of references include looking into the issue of gas migration, upon which the committee will provide its recommendation on the issue.

The single-member committee has carried out hearings and has taken written submission from all stakeholders. The next course of action will be decided by the Government after getting the recommendations of the Committee, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said.

Offshore Energy Today Staff