India And Syria Identify Projects & Areas Of Cooperation In Hydrocarbon Sector

ONGC Offers Assistance In Ior Projects; Indian Companies To Pursue Participation In New & Upgradation Refinery Projects

Syria To Consider Preferential Allotment Of Exploration Blocks To Indian Firms

India and Syria has identified a number of projects and key areas for further enhancing cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector spanning across exploration & production, refinery modernization and new projects, development of gas infrastructure including city gas projects, marketing, training of Syrian technicians and engineers etc. This was agreed at a meeting between Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and his counterpart Mr. Sufian Al-Alao, Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources of Syria at Damascus late yesterday evening. Shri Deora while elaborating recent developments in Indian oil and gas sector at the delegation level talks, emphasized the need for greater cooperation between two countries. His counterpart Mr. Al-Alao also reciprocated the sentiments. At the end of the meeting agreed minutes were signed by Petroleum Secretary Shri M.S. Srinivasan from Indian side and Dr. Eng. Hassan Zaienab, Dy. Minister Petroleum & Mineral Resources from Syrian side.

Syria has agreed to work closely together with Indian companies, and to consider the request of Indian side for allocating blocks on preferential basis in the spirit of mutually beneficial relationship. Further, Syria would provide information to Indian companies about 7 off-shore blocks proposed for bidding later this year. ONGC extended offer of assistance to Syrian Petroleum Company(SPC) for increased oil recovery/enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR) from their heavy oil fields through techniques such as in-situ combustion, gas and water injection, slim hole drilling, side tracking, production system optimization, etc. ONGC will also assist SPC in data interpretation pertaining sub-surface activities. ONGC’s offer for EOR/IOR projects could help in arresting Syrian oil production decline which fell from about 6,00,000 barrels per day(bd) in 2002 to about 4,00,000 bd at present. ONGC emphasized that they have world class training facilities in India and can train Syrian engineers and personnel in areas like Reservoir Management, Data Interpretation, 3 D Seismic Survey for greater coverage of exploration acreages in Syria, etc.

In refining sector, IOC and EIL conveyed their interests in participating in different opportunities in Syria. EIL specifically expressed interest in participating in the upcoming Banias Refinery upgradation project for providing PMC services as well as the new Refinery projects. Syrian side agreed to provide details of the project, companies working on the tender for Banias Refinery Upgradation project for maximizing gasoline and gas oil production. Syria will further send the project plans and other terms and conditions proposed for setting up new Refineries through JV route with Venezuela (Capacity:1,40,000 bd); JV with China (Capacity: 70,000 bd); new refinery with share-holding by Kuwaiti Financial company (1,40,000 bd).

To the GAIL’s offer to develop CNG based infrastructure, Syrian side informed that GAIL has qualified for CNG distribution in Syria and they will float the bid document before the year end for this purpose. Indian side explained GAIL’s considerable experience in construction of gas transportation infrastructure and developing city gas projects for fuelling CNG based transport vehicles.

On Indian offer of assisting Syrian oil & gas technicians’ capacity building, it was agreed that Syria will indicate to India the specific areas in the Upstream and Downstream sector, where they desire specialized training for their technicians and engineers. Indian Oil PSUs have capability and facilities to provide state of art training in the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

The two sides also agreed to form small Joint Working Groups for identified areas of mutual cooperation comprising officials of both countries that will fine tune and monitor the work programme under the aegis of Hydrocarbon Committee to be co-chaired by Dy. Minister, Petroleum & Mineral Resources, Govt. of Syria and Secretary, MOP&NG, Government of India. They further agreed to intensify high level bilateral exchanges and consultations to facilitate enhanced cooperation. In this connection, the Indian Minister has invited the Syrian Oil Minister to visit India.

Shri Deora is leading a high level delegation to Syria. The delegation include Petroleum Secretary Shri M.S. Srinivasan, CMD ONGC Shri R.S. Sharma, Chairman IOC Shri S. Behuria, CMD GAIL Dr. U.D. Choubey, CMD EIL Shri Mukesh Rohtagi and JS(R ) MoP&NG Shri Prabhu Das.

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