A report in India's Economic times indicates that State-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is considering a major entry to the downstream sector, with a particular focus on LNG distribution. In an interview with the newspaper, Chairman Sudhir Vasudeva (pictured) said that the company is keen to enter the LNG sourcing and marketing business, and is close to agreeing a global alliance with an experienced firm across the LNG value chain.
"A comprehensive downstream foray is a part of our overall Perspective 2030 plan and we are keen to enter the LNG sourcing and marketing business as we believe there is a big demand for LNG in the Indian market. We are also close to signing a memorandum of understanding with the Japan-based Mitsui Group, which will be handling the entire value-chain of the LNG business for us," he remarked. "We have got the go-ahead from the board and we are in the midst of concretising our plans."
Vasudeva declined to elaborate further on the plans, saying that the company needed "to iron out a lot of details."