Rakteem Katakey &Amp; Anirban Chowdhury In New Delhi

Stories by Rakteem Katakey &Amp; Anirban Chowdhury In New Delhi

Slowdown takes its toll on airports upgrade...

Slowdown takes its toll on airports upgrade...

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2008

The terminal and airside development of as many as nine of the 16 non-metro airports, supposed to be completed by next month, has been delayed till next year. This included construction and expansion of terminal buildings, runways and taxiways, among other things.

Firms make profits on petrol sales

Firms make profits on petrol sales

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2008

After nearly two years, the state-owned oil companies have started making profits on petrol sales, but not diesel or cooking fuel, with the Indian basket of crude oil falling below $60 a barrel on Friday, the last date for which data is available.

Gail to buy 19%  stake in ONGC's  Dahej plant

Gail to buy 19% stake in ONGC's Dahej plant

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

The board of GAIL India, the country's largest transporter and marketer of natural gas, on Wednesday approved a proposal to pick up to 19 per cent stake in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) petrochemical project in Gujarat.

ATF prices likely to fall by 16%

ATF prices likely to fall by 16%

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

Aviation industry experts expect the ATF prices to fall by 16 per cent in November, compared with the current month. This, they say, translates into bridging of nearly half the gap between the airlines' operational costs and total revenues.

Private firms reenter retailing as crude price dip

Private firms reenter retailing as crude price dip

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2008

As crude oil prices rose sharply, private companies like Essar Oil and Reliance Industries closed their retail outlets as they found it difficult to compete with state-owned oil companies, which were selling fuel below the production cost with support from the government. While Essar Oil has drawn up plans to re-open its retail outlets, Reliance Industries has decided not to go ahead with the retail plan

Govt considering fuel price cut to ease inflation

Govt considering fuel price cut to ease inflation

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2008

With international crude oil prices dipping to last year's levels, the government has put the issue of cutting motor and cooking fuel prices back on the agenda to tame inflation, two senior oil ministry officials have said.

After jobs, Kingfisher-Jet to cut 15 aircraft

After jobs, Kingfisher-Jet to cut 15 aircraft

Rediff.com   16 Oct 2008

The combine has a fleet of 189 aircraft which includes A-320s, A-330s, Boeing-737s, Boeing-747s and turbo props. Industry experts said this would mean the withdrawal of around 75 flights a day, or around 8 per cent of the combine's daily domestic flights.

Saline water find to help raise Cairn's oil output

Saline water find to help raise Cairn's oil output

Rediff.com   16 Oct 2008

Cairn India, which found India's largest oil field in Rajasthan in over 30 years, has discovered a saline water reservoir near its oil field that will help pump crude oil to the ground level and enhance production.

ONGC Videsh may bid for 8 Iraqi oil, gas blocks

ONGC Videsh may bid for 8 Iraqi oil, gas blocks

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2008

OVL, along with global oil majors such as Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, British Petroleum, Total and China National Petroleum Corporation, is one of the 35 companies short-listed by the Iraqi government for the auction, which includes six oil-producing blocks with recoverable reserves of 40 billion barrels of oil, making it the largest such auction in the world.

Rupee fall delays oil firms' break-even

Rupee fall delays oil firms' break-even

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2008

The rupee, which fell 8.88 per cent since the beginning of September to an all-time low of less than 49 per dollar last week, has negated much of the impact of an over 45 per cent dip in crude oil prices since early July. As the value of the rupee falls, the companies have to pay more for crude oil in rupee terms, resulting in increased under-realisation on the fuels that they sell.

Low traffic: DIAL changes course mid-way

Low traffic: DIAL changes course mid-way

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2008

Plan for interim international terminal cancelled; land trouble delays domestic terminal.

Delhi overtakes Mumbai in aircraft handling

Delhi overtakes Mumbai in aircraft handling

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2008

That is because Mumbai, which has no scope for further expansion, has not allowed any additional aircraft movements this winter schedule allowing only 32 flight movements per peak hour.

Banks stop lending to oil companies

Banks stop lending to oil companies

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2008

Funds dry up owing to liquidity crunch, high debt.

OVL in talks with Iran for oil block

OVL in talks with Iran for oil block

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2008

ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of India's largest oil producer, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, is holding talks with the Iranian government for exploring an oil block in the northern part of the country. Chinese company Sinopec is also believed to be in the race for the block. This could not be independently confirmed. The block is near the Caspian Sea.

Oil prices fall sharpest in four years

Oil prices fall sharpest in four years

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2008

Fears of an economic slowdown in the US, and a consequent spread of the crisis to Europe and other parts of the world, resulted in oil prices falling over 12 per cent since Monday, the largest weekly fall since early 2004.

Airline expenses increase as rupee falls

Airline expenses increase as rupee falls

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2008

The rupee has touched a five-year high, crossing the Rs 47 mark. The average value of the currency against the dollar during September was almost 14 per cent lower than in April. More than a third of an airline's costs are dollar denominated. Major heads of expenditure include aircraft ownership, maintenance and spares costs. Also included are international training and a certain chunk of sales and distribution costs.

India skips crucial meet on IPI pipeline

India skips crucial meet on IPI pipeline

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2008

India has missed yet another meeting on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline last weekend as officials from Iran and Pakistan met in Teheran to discuss the revised project cost and a new pricing formula.

Flying schools grounded by aviation downturn

Flying schools grounded by aviation downturn

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2008

The downturn in the aviation sector has led to significantly lower demand for pilots. This has adversely affected the businesses of more than 50 flying training schools, which had come up during the last two years on the back of an unprecedented growth story. Admissions to these institutes have now hit an all-time low.

Q3 turnover to rise by Rs 1,400 crore: RIL

Q3 turnover to rise by Rs 1,400 crore: RIL

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2008

RIL expects oil and gas sales from the Krishna-Godavari basin to boost its revenues and profits significantly. The company started test production of oil from the basin around 10 days ago. The cost of production per barrel of oil is not known. RIL's share price on the Bombay Stock Exchange has fallen 9.3 per cent in the last month as world markets have tumbled on fears of an economic crisis.

Delhi airport shuts brand new runway

Delhi airport shuts brand new runway

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2008

Four days after it was opened, the third runway at the Delhi airport was closed today after some crucial equipment stopped functioning. Operations had already got restricted to daytime after the runway lights failed over the weekend, rendering it unusable at night.