Indian oil giants gear up for Pakistani market
Major oil companies contemplating expansion plans.
MUMBAI:
With in-principle status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) granted to India by Pakistan, Indian oil companies – such as the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and GAIL India – are gearing up to cash in on the opportunity by exporting petroleum products and gas to its energy-starved neighbour. Pakistan’s existing refining capacity meets only half its total domestic requirement, while India now exports almost one fourth of its 185 million tonne refining capacity.
“Pakistan’s move to ease trade with India could translate into a big opportunity for HPCL, as it will be best positioned to use its INR19,000 crore Bhatinda refinery as a critical gateway. It will be a pragmatic business model, where revenue will more than offset relatively low investment in the pipeline,” said a Mumbai-based oil analyst.
Affirming speculation, an HPCL board member told the Times of India on Saturday that: “we plan to tap capital markets as soon as our Bhatinda refinery is nearing completion. A part of the initial public offering proceeds will be used to build a product pipeline to Lahore. We are strategically located to sell our products to Pakistan as the border is less than 50 km away from our refinery.”
Exporting gas is also a good opportunity for India’s largest gas transporter and marketer GAIL, as Pakistan does not have a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and the country is likely to experience its gas crisis by 2016, when the shortfall is expected to hit over three billion cubic feet (bcf) per day, a report said.
Even India’s biggest oil refiner, the Indian Oil Corporation, is exploring possibilities to connect its Panipat and Mathura refineries with the Bhatinda product pipeline, so that it may also export its products to Pakistan.
A Pakistan delegation led by petroleum and natural resources secretary Mohammad Ejaz Chaudhry is in New Delhi holding talks on ways to facilitate trade in petroleum products and petrochemicals between the two nations.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2012.
With in-principle status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) granted to India by Pakistan, Indian oil companies – such as the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and GAIL India – are gearing up to cash in on the opportunity by exporting petroleum products and gas to its energy-starved neighbour. Pakistan’s existing refining capacity meets only half its total domestic requirement, while India now exports almost one fourth of its 185 million tonne refining capacity.
“Pakistan’s move to ease trade with India could translate into a big opportunity for HPCL, as it will be best positioned to use its INR19,000 crore Bhatinda refinery as a critical gateway. It will be a pragmatic business model, where revenue will more than offset relatively low investment in the pipeline,” said a Mumbai-based oil analyst.
Affirming speculation, an HPCL board member told the Times of India on Saturday that: “we plan to tap capital markets as soon as our Bhatinda refinery is nearing completion. A part of the initial public offering proceeds will be used to build a product pipeline to Lahore. We are strategically located to sell our products to Pakistan as the border is less than 50 km away from our refinery.”
Exporting gas is also a good opportunity for India’s largest gas transporter and marketer GAIL, as Pakistan does not have a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and the country is likely to experience its gas crisis by 2016, when the shortfall is expected to hit over three billion cubic feet (bcf) per day, a report said.
Even India’s biggest oil refiner, the Indian Oil Corporation, is exploring possibilities to connect its Panipat and Mathura refineries with the Bhatinda product pipeline, so that it may also export its products to Pakistan.
A Pakistan delegation led by petroleum and natural resources secretary Mohammad Ejaz Chaudhry is in New Delhi holding talks on ways to facilitate trade in petroleum products and petrochemicals between the two nations.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2012.