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State-owned <keyword id="20039950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum-Corporation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharat Petroleum Corporation" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bharat Petroleum Corporation">Bharat Petroleum Corporation</keyword> plans to invest Rs 1.7 lakh crore over the next five years to grow its core oil refining and fuel marketing business as well as in 'future big bets' of <keyword id="20115883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petrochemicals" source="keywords">petrochemicals</keyword> and <keyword id="19895435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-energy" source="keywords">green energy</keyword>, its chairman G Krishnakumar has said. At present, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (<keyword id="19908646" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="BPCL" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BPCL" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BPCL">BPCL</keyword>) owns about 14 per cent of India's oil <keyword id="20064251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refining-capacity" source="keywords">refining capacity</keyword> and about a quarter of the fuel retailing network. It plans to grow these businesses while foraying into newer areas. The firm is now implementing the first phase of a multi-decade aspirational journey in the form of '<keyword id="22826627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="project-Aspire" source="keywords">Project Aspire</keyword>' - its five-year strategic framework that is based on two fundamental pillars - 'Nurturing the Core' and 'Investing in Future Big Bets', he said in the company's latest annual report. "Our mid-term strategy is on a continuum. While we remain committed to growing our core businesses, which include refining and marketing <keyword id="20037698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petroleum-products" source="keywords">petroleum products</keyword> and upstream, we are equally focused on our big bets comprising petrochemicals, gas, green energy, non-fuel retail, and digital. "Project Aspire, with a planned capex outlay of around Rs 1.70 lakh crore over five years, will enable us to create long-term value for our stakeholders while preserving our planet for future generations," he said. "A cornerstone of our long-term strategy, Project Aspire, with a Rs 1.70 trillion investment, marks the initial phase of our multi-decade odyssey to shape the energy of tomorrow. This, coupled with our robust balance sheet, fuels our ambition to lead the <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword>." The company is targeting net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2040. "BPCL has drawn a net-zero roadmap, which encompasses renewable power, green hydrogen, compressed biogas, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), efficiency improvement and the offsets procurements. This would require a phased capital outlay of approximately Rs 1 lakh crore till 2040, and the company is geared for the same," he said. The firm's bet on continuing investing in core businesses is based on the premise that India's booming economy will drive a 4-5 per cent annual increase in energy demand and petroleum product consumption. Also, the demand for major petrochemical products is expected to rise by 7-8 per cent annually. "This presents a strategic opportunity to expand refining capacity alongside the development of integrated petrochemical complexes," he said. BPCL is implementing new petrochemical projects at two of its three oil refineries. A Rs 49,000 crore ethylene cracker project is being implemented at the Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh, alongside raising oil refining capacity from the current 7.8 million tonnes to 11 million tonnes annually by 2029. A polypropylene project is being set up at Kochi refinery in Kerala by 2027. "To meet the anticipated demand beyond our planned expansions in Bina and Kochi, we are actively evaluating options for setting up additional integrated refining and petrochemical capacities within the next 5-7 years," Krishnakumar said without disclosing either the investments or the location of such a project. Andhra Pradesh is being speculated as the likely site after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and regional party TDP stormed to power in the state in recently concluded assembly elections. TDP has been demanding the implementation of a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that was promised as part of the package when the state was split more than a decade back. "Our investment in the petrochemical project is consistent with our aspiration of becoming a dominant player in India's petrochemical growth story," Krishnakumar said. On energy transition, he said BPCL is targeting to build 2 gigawatts (GW) of <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2035. "We are investing nearly Rs 1,000 crore to establish two 50 MW captive wind power plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which will support our refineries in Mumbai and Bina." The firm is also investing around Rs 300 crore in 72 MWp of solar project in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Concomitantly, we are executing green hydrogen projects aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. These projects include a 5 MW electrolyser plant at Bina refinery and a green hydrogen refuelling station with an indigenously developed electrolyser at Kochi," he noted. BPCL, he said, is committed to supporting the transition to electric mobility through a robust and accessible charging infrastructure. The company has installed over 3,000 charging stations, including fast chargers for cars and two-wheelers. 900 fast chargers are installed across 120 highway corridors, which helps address the range, discovery and time anxiety of electric vehicle (EV) owners. "Over the next five years, we aim to install 4-wheeler fast chargers at approximately 6,000 retail outlets across 400 highway corridors, prioritising high-traffic corridors like the Golden Quadrilateral and N-S/E-W highways," he said. On biofuels, he said BPCL sells petrol with 20 per cent ethanol blend at 4,279 out of its over 22,000 petrol pumps. It is also building compressed biogas plants using municipal solid waste to make gas that can be used as CNG in automobiles. The firm is also exploring partnerships in the arena. "These combined efforts, along with the upcoming commissioning of a bio-ethanol refinery, positions BPCL as a key player in India's transition to a greener fuel mix, creating a robust ecosystem for the adoption of cleaner fuels across the country," he added. BPCL is establishing a corporate venture capital fund to invest directly in promising startups. "In order to thrive in this complex and challenging business landscape, we will leverage our agility and focus on operational excellence to ensure continued success. Safety and reliability will remain our top priorities, guiding all our actions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance," he added. He said the energy sector of India stands at an inflection point. "The nation has an ambitious vision of becoming a USD 30 trillion developed economy by 2047. 'Viksit Bharat @2047' will necessitate an almost fourfold increase in primary energy demand." India's exponential growth trajectory will propel it to a pivotal role in the global energy market, accounting for roughly 12 per cent of world energy consumption by 2047. "The key strategic objectives for India in the energy sector will entail significant expansion in refining capacities, raising the share of gas in the energy basket from about 6 per cent to 15 per cent, establishing leadership in petrochemical exports, and sharply reducing energy imports from current levels of 47 per cent to below 25 per cent by 2030 and to zero by 2047," he said. India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity, sourcing half of its energy needs from renewables, reducing carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes and lowering carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 with the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. "Building on its strong Indian energy presence, BPCL aspires to meet 7-10 per cent of the nation's primary energy demand by 2047," he said.

BPCL planning Rs 1.7 lakh crore spend to expand core business, new energy foray over next five years

<keyword id="41896" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Iran">Iran</keyword> will cut some benefits to Indian state-run refiners on crude purchases after the South Asian country decided to reduce the amount of oil it buys from the <keyword id="386457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Persian-Gulf">Persian Gulf</keyword> nation, people with knowledge of the matter said. 
 <keyword id="261045" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Iranian-Oil-Co">National Iranian Oil Co</keyword>. will cut the credit period on crude oil sales to 60 days from 90 days for refiners such as <keyword id="152137" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mangalore-Refinery-Petrochemicals-Ltd">Mangalore Refinery &amp; Petrochemicals Ltd</keyword>. and <keyword id="59622" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Oil-Corp">Indian Oil Corp</keyword>., the people said, asking not be identified as the matter isn't public yet. Iran will also reduce the discounts it offers on the shipping of crude to 60 percent from 80 percent, they added. 
 The lower incentives will make Iranian purchases costlier and less competitive in a world awash with crude oil where rivals such as <keyword id="50996" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saudi-Arabia">Saudi Arabia</keyword> and <keyword id="6355112" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iraq">Iraq</keyword> are seeking to expand their markshare. Iran's crude sales to India more than doubled in 2016 after the lifting of sanctions over its nuclear program. India is Iran's second biggest customer and the emerging center of global oil demand. 
 India in turn, is using the supply glut to put pressure on <keyword id="44333" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tehran">Tehran</keyword> for securing development rights to the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf, which was discovered by an Indian consortium led by <keyword id="46585" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ONGC-Videsh-Ltd">ONGC Videsh Ltd</keyword>. about a decade ago. Iran and India were aiming to conclude an agreement on developing the field by February. The South Asian nation, which stood by Iran during the sanctions, is seeking to invest as much as $20 billion in Iran's energy industry and ports. 
 
Cutting Purchases 
 Indian state-run refiners told Iran last month that they would cut oil purchases by 3 million tons during the financial year that started April 1, the people said. <keyword id="55574" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="MRPL">MRPL</keyword> and <keyword id="6354412" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-oil">Indian Oil</keyword> will reduce imports by 1 million tons each, while <keyword id="124595" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindustan-Petroleum-Corp">Hindustan Petroleum Corp</keyword>. and <keyword id="124594" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum-Corp">Bharat Petroleum Corp</keyword>. will cut purchases by about half a million tons each, according to the people. 
 
India's overall oil imports from the Persian Gulf nation touched 19.8 million tons during April-December last year, compared with 12.7 million tons in the 2015-16 financial year, according to oil ministry data. 
 Iran's Oil Minister <keyword id="1921589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bijan-Namdar-Zanganeh">Bijan Namdar Zanganeh</keyword> said "there are many other customers" if India decides to cut imports, the state-run <keyword id="1168062" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Islamic-Republic-News-Agency">Islamic Republic News Agency</keyword> reported on April 5. Reuters earlier reported Indian state refiners will cut oil imports from Iran by a fifth. 
 India's Oil Minister <keyword id="197418" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dharmendra-Pradhan">Dharmendra Pradhan</keyword> said April 6 that it's up to the state refiners to decide on Iran crude volumes. 
 MRPL spokesman <keyword id="4394862" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="prashanth-baliga">Prashanth Baliga</keyword> couldn't comment immediately, while an Indian Oil spokesman declined to comment. National Iranian Oil Co.'s public relations office in Tehran didn't respond to an email and two calls seeking comment.

Iran to cut benefits on oil sales to India. Here's why

New Delhi, Feb 26 () Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the corporate family rating of HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd to Ba2 from Ba1, and changed its outlook on the rating to stable from negative. The rating was downgraded due to weak refining margins arising from a slump in fuel demand, it said in a statement. "The downgrade to Ba2 reflects the deterioration in HMEL's credit metrics, driven by the weak refining environment in Asia as well as the company's expansion into petrochemicals, which has kept HMEL's borrowings at elevated levels," said Sweta Patodia, a Moody's analyst. The weak industry conditions are reflected in the Singapore benchmark refining margins, which declined to around USD 3.7 per barrel for 2019 compared to its historical average of USD 6-7 a barrel. "This decline in the benchmark was due to the extremely weak fuel oil spreads, which in turn were driven by International Maritime Organization's new regulation restricting the use of heavy fuel oil in marine transportation," it said. Also, the credit metrics of HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) was impacted by its ongoing expansion into petrochemicals which has led to an increase in its borrowings. The company, which operates an 11.3 million tonnes a year oil refinery at Bhatinda in Punjab, is in the process of setting up a dual-feed petrochemical capacity of 1.2 million metrics tons per annum (mtpa). The project, which commenced in October 2017, was originally planned to be completed by March 2022. However, the company now intends to complete it by April 2021, accelerating its capital spending and keeping its borrowings at elevated levels. Moody's said there have been no material cost overruns so far and the total project cost continues to largely remain within management's initial estimates. Tightening regulations on the use of heavy fuel oil in the shipping industry, which kicked off in January 2020, could lead to higher demand for middle distillates and thus provide some support to refining margins, particularly for complex refiners like HMEL, it said. "The industry environment continues to remain uncertain and sustained weakness in regional refining margins could delay improvement in HMEL's credit metrics," the rating agency said. Moreover, the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the regional demand growth for petroleum products remains uncertain. Furthermore, HMEL's refinery will undergo 35 days of a planned shutdown during September-October 2020, which will constrain its earnings and cash flow during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (fiscal 2021). "The stable outlook reflects Moody's view that the company will maintain high utilisation of its refinery resulting in strong operating cash flow such that its credit metrics will continue to support its standalone credit profile," the statement said. HMEL's Ba2 rating is supported by the company's high complexity refinery that generates strong refining margins and by its 15-year offtake agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) that provides high visibility on sales volumes. "The rating, however, is constrained by the moderate scale of the company's operations, with a single refinery and crude distillation unit, and by its exposure to the cyclical nature of the refining industry," it added. HMEL is privately owned with HPCL and Mittal Energy Investments holding a 49 per cent stake each. HPCL is in turn 51.1 per cent owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), which is 67.7 per cent owned by the Government of India. Mittal Energy Investments is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Mittal Investments SARL. As of December 3, 2019, HMEL had cash and cash equivalents of Rs 790 crore which along with expected cash flow from operations of around Rs 2,600-2,700 crore will be sufficient to cover routine capital expenditures of around Rs 1,060 crore and Rs 930 crore of debt maturities over the next 12 months. "Moody's is unlikely to upgrade the ratings until HMEL completes its ongoing expansion and successfully ramps-up its petrochemical plant," it added. ANZ DRR

Moody's downgrades rating of HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd

Mumbai, Jan 23 () Engineering firm Tata Projects on Thursday said it has bagged four contracts worth Rs 6,000 crore in the oil and gas refinery sector in Odisha and Rajasthan.
 Of the four orders, three are from state-owned HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) and one from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), the company said in a statement.
 BPCL's order is for its 2G bio-ethanol project in Bargarh, Odisha, with a proposed production capacity of 100 kilolitres per day of second-generation ethanol.
 The other three orders pertain to HRRL's upcoming greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Rajasthan.
 The scope of these contracts includes work for crude and vacuum distillation unit (CDU-VDU), delayed coker unit with unsaturated LPG treating unit and vacuum gas oil hydrotreating unit and refinery.
 "As a leading engineering and technology company, we have a specialised division that executes construction of environmentally beneficial and challenging projects. Hence, we seek to undertake projects that improve the lives of communities and support national developmental objectives at the same time," Tata Projects Managing Director Vinayak Deshpande said.
 Tata Projects provides end-to-end solutions to set up power generation plants, power transmission and distribution systems, fully integrated rail and metro systems, commercial buildings and airports, chemical process plants, water and waste water management solutions, complete mining and metal purification systems.
 "Energy is an area wherein every country needs to focus since it directly affects the economic growth and welfare of citizens. As a company, we are certain that these projects will further strengthen India's energy security while providing an impetus to national development," Tata Projects Chief Operating Officer (Industrial Systems) Satyanarayana K said. PSK HRS

Tata Projects bags Rs 6,000-crore orders in oil, gas refinery sector

<keyword id="6355199" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword> Ltd (RIL), India's largest company, on Thursday said its board has approved hiving off its USD 75 billion worth oil-to-chemicals business into a separate division to enable the sale of 20 per cent stake in the unit to Saudi national oil company Aramco. The hiving off will be subject to the approval of the National Company Law Tribunal. After the approval, the oil-to-chemical (O2C) business will become a separate vertical with independent balance sheet just like the conglomerate's digital arm, Jio Platforms. RIL had organised all its digital businesses including Reliance Jio that has 388 million telecom subscribers, into Jio Platforms. It last week agreed to sell a 9.99 per cent stake in Jio Platforms to <keyword id="319320" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook-Inc">Facebook Inc</keyword> for USD 5.7 billion. RIL Board "approved a Scheme of Arrangement for transfer of O2C Undertaking of the company to <keyword id="9147221" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-o2c-ltd">Reliance O2C Ltd</keyword> as a going concern on slump sale basis for a lump sum consideration equal to the income tax net worth of the O2C Undertaking as on the appointed date of the Scheme," it said in its fourth-quarter earnings statement. O2C undertaking of the company comprises entire oil-to-chemicals business of the company consisting of refining, petrochemicals, fuel retail and aviation fuel (majority interest only) and bulk wholesale marketing businesses together with its assets and liabilities. "The scheme is subject to necessary statutory/regulatory approvals under applicable laws including approval of National Company Law Tribunal," it added. In August last year, RIL head <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> had announced initial agreements to sell a 20 per cent stake in the oil-to-chemical business to <keyword id="152170" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saudi-Aramco">Saudi Aramco</keyword> for an asking of USD 15 billion. The deal covers all of Reliance's refining and petrochemicals assets as well as the remainder of stake the firm has in fuel retailing business after selling 49 per cent to BP Plc of UK for Rs 7,000 crore. The deal, which valued the oil-to-chemical business at USD 75 billion, was to close by March 2020 but it is now expected to close within the current calendar year. Reliance has pivoted away from energy to the new economy. But refining and petrochemicals are cash cows for Reliance and still account for the bulk of its EBITDA. As part of the August deal, Saudi Aramco will supply 500,000 barrels per day (25 million tonnes a year) of crude on a long-term basis to RIL's Jamnagar refinery complex (more than a third of the 1.36 million bpd refining capacity). The deals give Aramco and BP access to the fastest-growing refined fuels market in the world. Market analyst firm Bernstein in a recent report had stated that it expects RIL to grow their petrochemical and refining business given the secular growth opportunities. "While bears will argue that Reliance is stepping away from energy to digital, we see this deal as an opportunity to expand the downstream business in India with a solid partnership. For Aramco, the deal provides direct access to what is widely expected to be the fastest-growing refined oil product market over the next 20 years," it said. "For Reliance, it provides cash to fund the expansion of their digital business and further expansion of downstream capacity with an experienced partner." While talks with Aramco continue, the BP deal has been finalised. Reliance's existing 1,400-odd petrol pumps, as well as 31 aviation fuel stations, will be transferred to the new joint venture where BP will hold 49 per cent equity stake. Reliance will hold the balance 51 per cent in the entity, which aims to expand the retail network to 5,500 petrol pumps in the next five years. This is the third joint venture between Reliance and BP since 2011. BP had in 2011 bought 30 per cent stake in 21 oil and gas exploration and production blocks of Reliance for USD 7.2 billion. At that time, another 50:50 joint venture, <keyword id="838593" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-Gas-Solutions">India Gas Solutions</keyword>, was set up for sourcing and marketing gas in India. The country currently has 69,109 petrol pumps, with public sector retailers owning 61,811. PSU retailers have plans to double this network and have already started appointing dealers. Russia's Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy, formerly Essar Oil, has 5,702 petrol pumps and has plans to scale them up to more than 7,000 in two-three years. Royal Dutch Shell has 189 outlets and is slated to add 150-200 more petrol pumps. BP had in 2016 received a licence from the government to set up 3,500 petrol pumps in India. French energy giant Total SA too is keen on entering the Indian retail market and has tied up with Adani Group for the same. The Saudi national oil company, along with its partner UAE's Abu Dabhi National Oil Co (ADNOC) has taken a 50 per cent stake in a planned USD 60-billion mega refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Maharashtra by state-owned oil companies, and has a bullish outlook on India's energy demand and is keen on investing here. Reliance operates two refineries in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with a total capacity of 68.2 million tonnes per annum. It plans to expand its only-for-exports special economic zone (SEZ) refining capacity to just over 41 million tonnes from the current 35.2 million tonnes. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is keen to get a foothold in the world's fastest-growing fuel market to get a captive customer for the crude oil it produces. Crude oil is the basic raw material for the manufacturing of petrochemicals. Saudi Aramco is also keen on retailing fuel in India. A refinery in India can also be a base for it to export fuel to deficit countries in Europe and the Americas. India has a refining capacity of 249.9 million tonnes, which exceeded the demand of 213.7 million tonnes. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/ril-rights-issue-ratio-pricing-and-value/articleshow/75474592.cms">Mukesh Ambani offers Reliance Industries shareholders 1 new share for every 15 held⁠— at a price 14% below market value</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/reliance-retails-operating-profit-grows-nearly-20-in-the-latest-fourth-quarter/articleshow/75474722.cms">Reliance Retail’s operating profit grows nearly 20% in the latest fourth quarter⁠⁠</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/tech-mahindras-net-profits-see-a-massive-32-drop-even-as-its-digital-business-is-treading-water-amidst-the-covid-19-crisis/articleshow/75472198.cms">Tech Mahindra’s net profits see a massive 32% drop even as its digital business is treading water amidst the COVID-19 crisis</a>

Reliance to hive off $75 billion oil-to-chemicals business into separate unit for sale to Aramco

<ul><li>Billionaire <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> has accelerated the timeframe for wiping out ₹1.61 lakh crore of net debt at his <keyword id="6355199" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword> by bringing in strategic investors in key businesses as well as committing more equity.</li><li>Ambani, chairman and managing director of <keyword id="6487" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries-Ltd">Reliance Industries Ltd</keyword> (RIL), had in August last year set a target of March 2021 to make the oil-to-telecom conglomerate net debt-free. But thanks to a USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,547 crore) deal with Facebook, a Rs 53,125 crore rights issue and more stake sale to companies such as <keyword id="152170" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saudi-Aramco">Saudi Aramco</keyword>, the target is likely to be achieved by December. </li><li>In an investor and media call post announcement of the company's fourth-quarter earnings, RIL's Joint Chief Financial Officer <keyword id="2180080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Srikanth-Venkatachari">Srikanth Venkatachari</keyword> said, "The zero net debt target will be achieved within the 2020 calendar year." </li></ul> Billionaire Mukesh Ambani has accelerated the timeframe for wiping out ₹1.61 lakh crore of net debt at his Reliance Industries by bringing in strategic investors in key businesses as well as committing more equity. Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), had in August last year set a target of March 2021 to make the oil-to-telecom conglomerate net debt-free. But thanks to a USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,547 crore) deal with Facebook, a Rs 53,125 crore rights issue and more stake sale to companies such as Saudi Aramco, the target is likely to be achieved by December. In an investor and media call post announcement of the company's fourth-quarter earnings, RIL's Joint Chief Financial Officer Srikanth Venkatachari said, "The zero net debt target will be achieved within the 2020 calendar year." Since the August announcement, Ambani has sold a 9.99 per cent stake in the digital platform that houses India's youngest but biggest mobile operator to Facebook, decided to hive out Reliance's oil and petrochemicals business into a separate entity to help a proposed stake sale to Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Saudi Aramco), and pledged to make up for any shortfall in the rights issue. The company expects to complete a capital raising programme totalling Rs 1.04 lakh crore by June, Venkatachari said. This includes the rights offering of one share for every 15 shares held at Rs 1,257, a 14 per cent discount to the closing price for April 30. Also included is the Rs 43,574 crore coming from the Facebook buying stake in Jio Platforms and Rs 7,000 crore from sale of 49 per cent stake in fuel retailing venture to UK's BP plc. "In addition, Saudi Aramco due diligence is progressing well," he said without saying when the deal was expected to be closed. Reliance values its oil-to-chemical business, which includes its twin refineries at Jamnagar in Gujarat, petrochemical assets, and 51 per cent stake in auto fuel and aviation fuel retailing venture, at USD 75 billion. Saudi Aramco is in talks to buy a 20 per cent stake in this venture. Alongside announcing the zero net debt target, Ambani, 63, had in August also announced the potential sale of 20 per cent interest in the oil-to-chemical business to Aramco by March 2020. That deadline has been missed partly because of differences over the deal structure and partly due to talks stalling following the outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> and the subsequent nationwide lockdown. At the end of March quarter, the company had an outstanding debt of Rs 336,294 crore and cash in hand of Rs 175,259 crore. After adjusting cash, the net debt came to Rs 161,035 crore. Of this debt, Rs 2,62,000 crore is on RIL books and Rs 23,000 crore is with Jio. At the concall, company officials said Jio Platforms will retain Rs 14,976 crore out of Rs 43,574 crore received from Facebook and use the remaining Rs 28,598 crore to settle the debt. The Facebook-Jio Platforms deal will close by the end of the current quarter. Also, the company said it has received interest from new potential global strategic and financial investors in taking a stake of similar size to Facebook's agreement in the Jio Platform. "In addition to the FB investment, the board was informed that RIL has received strong interest from other strategic and financial investors and is in good shape to announce a similar-sized investment in the coming months," the company had said in a statement on Thursday. "With a strong visibility to these equity infusions, the board was informed that RIL is set to achieve net-zero debt status ahead of its own aggressive timeline," it had said.

Mukesh Ambani aims to turn Reliance into zero net debt firm within 8 months

<ul><li><keyword id="6355199" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword> is said to be mulling a plan to increase the capacity of his <keyword id="6361405" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="jamnagar">Jamnagar</keyword> <keyword id="84980" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="petroleum">petroleum</keyword> refinery by around 50%. </li><li>The proposed expansion to the facility, which is the world’s largest refining complex, is expected to cost around $10 billion and will boost the facility’s annual refining capacity to 30 million tonnes of crude oil. </li><li>The move is a direct play at cementing Reliance’s dominance in a market that is positioned to be the world’s fastest growing consumer of fuel within the next two decades. </li></ul>Mukesh <keyword id="10924" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ambani">Ambani</keyword>’s Reliance Industries Ltd - India’s <a href="https://www.google.co.in/search?q=reliance+market+cap&amp;rlz=1C1GCEU_enIN820IN820&amp;oq=reliance+market+cap&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5080j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">most valuable company</a> by market cap, is said to be mulling a plan to increase the capacity of his Jamnagar petroleum refinery by around 50%, anonymous sources told <a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/reliance-said-to-plan-expanding-world-s-largest-refinery-complex#gs.4rgVSFE">Bloomberg</a>. The proposed expansion to the facility, which is the world’s largest refining complex, is expected to cost around $10 billion and will boost the facility’s annual refining capacity to 30 million tonnes of crude oil. It will involve the addition of a new refining train and is part of a plan to increase Reliance’s supply of raw crude for industrial processes as well as diesel for commercial vehicles. The move is a direct play at cementing Reliance’s dominance in a market that is positioned to be the world’s<a href="https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/india-will-register-highest-gdp-energy-demand-among-all-nations-through-2040-opec-world-oil-outlook-2040/65924579"> fastest growing consumer of fuel</a> within the next two decades, despite the government’s desire to embrace the electrification of vehicles. Having traditionally focused on exports of petrochemicals to markets across Asia, Europe and Africa, the Mukesh Ambani-owned conglomerate is preparing to tap into domestic demand. A number of global oil companies, including the likes of Saudi Aramco, Royal Dutch Shell and Rosneft are looking to make inroads into India’s downstream energy sector. Last month, Khalid A Al-Falih, the chairman of Saudi Aramco, said that the world’s largest oil producing company was assessing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/saudi-arabia-has-big-plans-for-indias-energy-sector/articleshow/66236777.cms">a range of investment opportunities</a> in India’s downstream sector. In July, Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), decided to join hands on a $44 billion refinery project in Ratnagiri, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. In addition to expanding its refining capacity, Reliance is also taking big steps in the fuel retailing sector. It was reported last month that the company was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-reliance-is-teaming-up-with-bp-in-a-move-that-could-send-the-countrys-state-owned-fuel-giants-into-a-tailspin/articleshow/66331991.cms">tying up with British Petroleum</a> to launch 2,000 fuel retail outlets across India by 2022. The current expansion plan is still in early stages and is expected to be finalised keeping a start date of 2020 in mind. In September 2017, Reliance was reported to be deliberating on a plan to increase the refining capacity of its Jamnagar plant by as much <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Industry/5TB0GQSisKsj1KRumETYhN/Reliance-Industries-plans-major-expansion-at-its-Jamnagar-oi.html">as 40% by 2030.</a> The move was envisioned to follow the completion of a <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Industry/RPXW920S8N2UlP5CPecR0N/RIL-commissions-worlds-largest-ROGC-complex-at-Jamnagar.html">$16 billion expansion initiative </a>that started in 2014. However, the plan was temporarily put on hold while the conglomerate doubled down on its telecom investments. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-reliance-is-teaming-up-with-bp-in-a-move-that-could-send-the-countrys-state-owned-fuel-giants-into-a-tailspin/articleshow/66331991.cms">India's Reliance is teaming up with BP in a move that could send the country's state-owned fuel giants into a tailspin</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/reliance-industries-just-beat-tata-consultancy-services-to-become-indias-highest-valued-company/articleshow/65212268.cms">Reliance Industries just beat Tata Consultancy Services to become India’s highest-valued company</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/saudi-arabia-has-big-plans-for-indias-energy-sector/articleshow/66236777.cms">Saudi Arabia has big plans for India's energy sector</a>

India’s Reliance Industries is reportedly planning to boost the capacity of the world’s largest petroleum refinery by 50%

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Essar+Oil">Essar Oil</a>, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals and other Indian refineries paid the second installment of $700 million to Iran today. 
This is the final installment before India eases international sanctions against the Persian Gulf country. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Essar+Oil">Essar Oil</a> paid a whopping $338 million and MRPL payed a hefty $299 million. IOC paid another $60 million while Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) paid $3 million. 
 
Today’s payments came on top of $700 million the four refiners had cleared on September 30. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Indian
oil refineries pay $700 million to Iran

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) is keen to acquire India's third-biggest fuel retailer <keyword id="6362419" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HPCL">HPCL</keyword> in a Rs 42,254 crore deal after finding <keyword id="75662" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum">Bharat Petroleum</keyword> Corp Ltd (BPCL) too expensive to buy, according to a news report by PTI. Following up on Finance Minister <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword>'s Budget announcement of creating an integrated oil company, ONGC evaluated options of acquiring either <keyword id="170674" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindustan-Petroleum-Corp-Ltd">Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd</keyword> (HPCL) or BPCL - the two downstream oil refining and fuel marketing companies. While acquiring either one of them made a lot of business sense, ONGC found the nation's second-biggest fuel retailer, BPCL too expensive, sources privy to the development said. BPCL has a market cap of Rs 1,01,738 crore and buying government's 54.93 per cent would along have entailed an outgo of Rs 55,885 crore. So, ONGC is in favour of acquiring HPCL, which has a market cap of Rs 54,797 crore and buying government's entire 51.11 per cent stake would entail an outgo of Rs 28,006 crore. Another Rs 14,000 crore or so would be required in case open offer has to be made. Sources said while initially the government was looking at creating an integrated oil company through merge of an oil producer with a refiner, the idea was dropped for the fear of not repeating of the Air India-Indian Airlines merger. Similar differences in work culture and ethos prevail in upstream and downstream firms and so the exercise under consideration now is to only help government mop up resources and HPCL would become a mere subsidiary of ONGC. ONGC already has a refining subsidiary in Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemcials Ltd (MPRL). Sources said an open offer to buy another 26 per cent stake from other shareholders of HPCL would at current price cost ONGC another Rs 14,247 crore. As per Sebi's takeover code, if a company acquires more than 25 per cent in another listed company, it has to make an open offer to buy at least 26 per cent more in the target firm. Some reports have suggested that ONGC buying government stake in HPCL may not trigger an open-offer rule as the government's holding is being transferred to another state-run firm and the ownership is not going to change. But sources said that way back in February 2002, state- owned <keyword id="59622" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Oil-Corp">Indian Oil Corp</keyword> (<keyword id="6354733" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IOC">IOC</keyword>) had acquired government's 33.58 per cent stake in fuel retailer IBP Co Ltd for Rs 1,153.68 crore and had to make an open offer for additional shares. Both IOC and IBP were government owned companies. Sources said the oil ministry and ONGC may try and seek exemption from the open offer to keep the acquisition cost low. ONGC has cash reserve of Rs 13,014 crore and to fund the government stake acquisition in HPCL it will have to borrow at least Rs 18,000 crore, they said. If the open offer is made, additional borrowings would have to be done. There are only six major companies in the oil sector - ONGC and Oil India Ltd being the oil producers, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), HPCL and BPCL in refinery business and GAIL in midstream gas transportation business. The rest such as ONGC Videsh, Chennai Petroleum Corp (CPCL), Numaligarh Refinery Ltd and MRPL are already subsidiaries of one of these six PSUs. Sources said the options were very limited and ONGC chose HPCL over BPCL. HPCL will add 23.8 million tonnes of annual oil refining capacity to ONGC's portfolio, making it the third-largest refiner in the country after IOC and Reliance Industries. ONGC already is majority owner of MRPL, which has a 15- million tons refinery. Sources said ONGC buying HPCL will require two sets of Cabinet approval - one where the government approves sale of its all or part of its 51.11 per cent stake to ONGC, and the other for allowing ONGC to spend the money on stake buy.

Bharat Petroleum is too expensive; ONGC plans to buy Hindustan Petroleum

India is on its way to ask Tehran for rights to develop ONGC-discovered Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf even as it prepares to pay $ 6.5 billion in past oil dues. 
 Indian firms have so far shied away from investing in <keyword id="41896" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Iran">Iran</keyword> for the fear of being sanctioned by the US and Europe. The same was deterring New Delhi from claiming rights to invest nearly $ 7 billion in the biggest gas discovery ever made by an Indian firm abroad. But with Iran and six world powers sealing an accord to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme in return for ending sanctions, India is making a renewed pitching for rights to develop 12.8 Trillion cubic feet of gas reserves <keyword id="46585" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="ONGC-Videsh-Ltd">ONGC Videsh Ltd</keyword> had found in 2008. "We have been in negotiations with Iran over development of Farzad-B gas field. Now that sanctions will ease, we expect Iran to give us the developmental rights," OVL Managing Director <keyword id="2246392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-K-Verma">Narendra K Verma</keyword> told PTI. 

	Also, the easing of sanctions would mean India can freely buy crude oil from Iran. Sanctions had meant that New Delhi could import no more than 9 million tonnes of oil this fiscal, the same volume it had shipped from Iran in 2013-15. 
 

	"We have just heard of the deal but we have not seen any details of when the sanctions will be lifted. We are awaiting more details to decide on crude purchases," a top official with a refiner which buys Iranian oil said. 
 

	An oil ministry official said lifting of sanctions would also mean oil refiners will have to clear $ 6.5 billion in past dues on purchase of Iranian oil. 
 

	Since February 2013, Indian refiners like Essar Oil and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) have been paying in rupees to UCO Bank 45 per cent of their payment due on purchase of crude oil from Iran. The remaining has been accumulating, pending finalisation of a payment mechanism. 
 They had last year paid nearly $ 3 billion in six installments through a limited payment channel following start of nuclear talks between the West and Iran. The outstanding has since climbed to nearly $ 6.5 billion. Of this, Essar Oil owes about $ 3.5 billion and MRPL $ 2.5 billion. The rest $ 500 million is to be paid by <keyword id="59622" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Oil-Corp">Indian Oil Corp</keyword> (IOC). 

	The official said the government expects that payment channels to open soon and Iran making a demand for clearing of past dues. 
 

	The historic nuclear deal struck today, sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and United Nations would be lifted in return for Iran agreeing long-term curbs on a nuclear programme. 
 

	If approved by the US Congress, it would enable the holder of the world's fourth-biggest crude reserves to ramp up energy exports with the easing of international sanctions on exports in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: Indiatimes)

India to ask for rights to invest in oil reserves in Iran

(Eds: Adding ONGC acquisition) New Delhi, Feb 27 () State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and its subsidiary Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) have bought out lenders in Petronet MHB Ltd, the firm that owns a petroleum product pipeline in Mangalore, for about Rs 371 crore. A consortium of eight public sector banks held 34.56 per cent stake in Petronet MHB Ltd, where ONGC and HPCL held 32.72 per cent apiece. ONGC and HPCL bought 17.28 per cent stake each from lenders, the firms said in separate but almost identical regulatory filings. The two firms paid Rs 185.38 crore each for acquiring 17.28 per cent more share in Petronet MHB Ltd. The now hold 49.996 per cent each in the company that transports petroleum products from Mangalore Refinery. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) is also a subsidary of ONGC. MRPL uses the pipeline of Petronet MHB for moving fuel. In a regulatory filings, ONGC and HPCL said Petronet MHB Ltd had a networth of Rs 796.30 crore as of March 31, 2019. "The acquisition will open up possible opportunities for synergy, better cost economics and revenue maximisation," they said, adding that no governmental or regulatory approvals are required for the acquisition. The acquisition is expected to be completed by March 31. "The company has entered into a share purchase agreement dated February 27, 2020, with consortium of 8 nationalised banks, who hold equity shares in Petronet MHB Ltd, for acquisition of 9.48 crore equity shares aggregating ot 17.28 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital at a price of Rs 19.55 per share," HPCL said. ONGC also posted a similarly worded filing shortly after HPCL disclosure. "Post-acquisition the shareholding of HPCL in Petronet MHB will be about 49.996 per cent," HPCL added. ONGC said it hold 49.996 per cent stake in Petronet MHB after the acquisition. Petronet MHB Ltd was incorporated on July 31, 1998 on a common carrier principle to provide petroleum product transportation facility from Mangalore refinery to the oil marketing company terminals at Hassan and Devangonthi (Bangalore). ONGC owns 51.11 per cent stake in HPCL. Petronet MHB had revenue from operation of Rs 128.33 crore in 2016-17, which rose to Rs 130.89 crore in 2017-18 and Rs 158.44 crore in the following year. In a separate filing, Bank of Baroda said it sold its 4.90 per cent stake in Petronet MHB for Rs 52.56 crore. ANZ MKJ

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