In a boost to firms like ONGC and Reliance Industries, the government is likely to raise the price of domestically produced natural gas by over 10 per cent to over USD 3.72 per million British thermal unit with effect from April 1, sources in know of the development said. The price of gas produced from difficult fields will rise to about USD 9 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) from current USD 7.67, they said. This will be the fourth straight increase in gas prices.

Recently, two major oil PSUs (public sector undertakings) - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) - announced their respective share buyback programmes as part of the government's divestment drive.

IOC plans to buyback 297.7 million shares at a price of Rs 149 apiece, amounting to Rs 44.35 billion. This apart, the company has also declared an interim dividend of 67.5 per cent i.e. Rs 6.75 per equity share of face value of Rs 10 each for the financial year 2018-19.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp’s (ONGC) Rs 4,022 crore share buyback programme will open on January 29 and close on February 11, the company said in its offer letter to shareholders.

ONGC’s board had on December 20 approved buyback of 25.29 crore shares for Rs 159 apiece as part of the Government plan to get cash-rich PSUs to part with their surplus.

Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday said the government will allow state-owned ONGC and Oil India to induct private and foreign partners in oilfields to raise output and also give special incentive to make their discoveries in difficult areas viable.

Speaking at the launch of second bid round for 14 exploration blocks under open acreage licensing policy, Pradhan said Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and OIL will have the freedom to decide which of their currently producing fields they want to retain and in the ones where they would like to induct a partner.

When ONGC acquired Gujarat government-owned GSPC’s then-languishing Deen Dayal-West (DDW) block in the Krishna Godawari basin in late 2016, apparently under a government directive, many thought it could add to the explorer’s portfolio of under-performing assets. However, encouraged by higher prices for difficult fields which these assets are entitled to, ONGC has ramped up production from the block

The board of India's biggest gas explorer Oil and Natural Gas (ONGC) on Thursday approved the share buyback of 253 million shares worth Rs 40.22 billion at Rs 159/share, which is around 7 per cent premium to the current market price of Rs 149.

The company has fixed January 4, 2019 as the record date for determining the entitlement and the names of the shareholders/ beneficial owners to whom the letter of offer will be sent and will be eligible to participate in the buyback.

The board of India's top explorer, Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd, will consider a proposal this week to list its overseas investment arm, ONGC Videsh Ltd, on domestic bourses, two sources privy to the matter said on Wednesday.

The move to float the unit, which has investments in 11 producing assets in countries including Russia, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Venezuela, is part of a government push to sell state assets to raise funds.

ONGC, OIL spent Rs 13,000 cr on 115 discoveries govt took away from them: Pradhan

New Delhi: State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) spent over Rs 13,000 crore on 115 oil and gas discoveries which were taken away from them by the government for auctioning to private companies, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Monday.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) Friday said its board will consider buyback of company shares at a meeting on December 20.

This follows Government pushing cash-rich PSUs to use their funds to buy back shares or pay a higher dividend. The Government is looking to bridge budgetary deficit through higher receipts of dividend as well as selling its shares in PSUs in the buyback programmes.

New Delhi: India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp has received a payment of $32 million from Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) as part of a settlement of outstanding dividend payments and said it now hopes that Venezuela’s state oil firm will be regular in making further payments, a senior ONGC official said.

“It is a good development,” said N. K. Verma, managing director of ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of ONGC.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.