In a strategic move to boost offshore energy exploration and operational efficiency, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Reliance Industries Ltd have signed an agreement to share resources such as supply vessels used in finding and producing oil and gas.
Shares of Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd on Tuesday tanked in the range of 4-8 per cent on the bourses after reports surfaced that these two ADA Group firms are involved in fraudulent banking activities overseas.
Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and Anil Ambani's RNRL are locked in a dispute over the terms of the gas supply master agreement, whereby RIL is to supply gas for RNRL's power projects. Earlier, the division bench of Justices J N Patel and K K Tated had said it would like to finish the hearing before Diwali, so that the judgment could be written during the vacation. But now, with the government's entry into the litigation, the hearing may not get over before the Diwali vacation.
The ratio is based on the valuation made by consultancy firm KPMG.
The latest Ambani-sibling fight has now become a political battle.
Amidst the legal battle between Reliance Industries Ltd and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd over gas from Kaveri basin, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has hit out at the Ambani brothers for fighting over a natural resource that belongs to the government and the people of the country.
With the government making a distinction between the privately-run Reliance Natural Resources Ltd and the government-run NTPC Ltd in relation with the gas dispute with Reliance Industries Ltd, the ministry of power is likely to take up NTPC's case with the Empowered Group of Ministers.
Even four years after splitting the Reliance empire, the Ambani brothers still seem to be washing dirty linen in public: the latest battle is over gas pricing.
Anil Ambani on Wednesday took over as the Chairman of Reliance Communication Ventures Ltd, a day after the Mukesh Ambani Group handed over management control of the demerged companies to the younger sibling.
"There are eight companies (who have put in expression of interest)... RNRL is one of them," said A K Ahuja, managing director, Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd, the company that operates the nation's biggest gas-fired power plant and the adjacent LNG import facility. Others in the fray include state power utility NTPC and GMR. Ahuja said RGPPL will frame the bidding criteria and call for financial bids by next month.
Blaming RIL for delay in starting its Dadri power project, RNRL said it was RIL's wrongful conduct that delayed its gas-based power plant by four years. However, it had sought a direction to RIL to supply the gas immediatley to it. On July 7, the Supreme Court issued notice to RIL, RNRL and the Centre (as intervener) on cross-appeals by both the companies on their gas supply dispute.
With the Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) planning to approach the Supreme Court, challenging a High Court order for selling gas at $2.34 per million British thermal unit (mBtu) to Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL), the chances of an agreement between the Ambani brothers by July 15 appear remote.
The government told the Bombay high court on Friday that the empowered group of ministers decided that Mukesh Ambani-led RIL will start supplying gas from the KG basin to Anil Ambani's Dadri power project and other upcoming power plants once it is ready to begin operations.
There is nothing much for Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd to renegotiate with Reliance Industries Ltd, as the price and quantity of gas it is seeking will be dictated by the government policy and the tenure of supply will depend on life of the fields.
Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Natural Resources Ltd and Reliance Communication Ventures Ltd on Friday said they have got shareholders'
Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources Ltd is laying claim (through a family agreement prior to the group's split) to gas from estranged brother Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd at a fixed price of $2.34 per mBtu
In a major relief to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd, the Bombay High Court Friday allowed the sale of gas from the Krishna-Godavari basin at $4.20 per million British thermal unit (mBtu) and reserved final judgment on a case brought by Anil Ambani-run Reliance Natural Resources Ltd.
Industrialist Anil Ambani on Tuesday dared the petroleum ministry to take back the ownership of gas fields from Reliance Industries Ltd if it seriously believed that terms of the contract were violated by Mukesh Ambani-led firm, which he alleged was wanting to make a super-profit of Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion).
The Supreme Court on Monday asked Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries Ltd and Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd to reply to the government's prayer for declaring 'null and void' their family agreement on gas supply, and posted the matter for hearing on September 1.
A division bench of Justices J N Patel and K K Tated said that the new agreement should be as per the memorandum of understanding between the Ambani brothers Mukesh and Anil. The MoU stipulates that RIL would supply 28 mmscmd of gas to RNRL for 17 years at the rate of $2.43 per million British Thermal Units.
The government will sign contracts on Tuesday for exploitation of gas trapped below coal seams in nine areas with three consortia, including one led by Anil Ambani Group companies.\n
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group on Wednesday announced the process for listing of the four new companies, which were transferred by Mukesh Ambani group to them on Tuesday, will begin next week.
The release also points out that the prevailing domestic gas prices command a significantly higher price than the proposal of RIL.
RNRL had sought 28 mscmd of gas for 17 years at $2.34 per million British thermal units (mBtu) from Mukesh Ambani's RIL.
Read the full text of the Supreme Court ruling in the Krishna Godavari Basin gas dispute between Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd and Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources Ltd.
With the Supreme Court likely to announce its judgement on the gas price tussle between Ambani brothers next week, the share price of Reliance Industries Ltd has taken a sharp knock while Reliance Natural Resources Ltd witnessed a spike.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd is taking the Bombay High Court order of June 15 on gas supply to Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources Ltd to the Supreme Court."We have been advised to and are filing appropriate proceedings in the Supreme Court against the judgment delivered by the Bombay High Court," it told RNRL in a mail, in reply to an earlier letter sent in the day by the former, demanding that the HC judgement be implemented without more delay.
Petroleum secretary RS Pandey declined to comment on the court verdict till the Government received a copy of the order. The Bombay high court on Monday upheld Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd's contention to buy 28 mscmd of gas from Reliance Industries Ltd at USD 2.34 per mmBtu for 17 years.
Billionaire Anil Ambani on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at 7 Race Course Road for close to an hour but refused comments on the purpose of his meeting. The meeting comes within days of the Supreme Court rejecting his group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd's plea for cheap gas from Reliance Industries as had been decided in a private family agreement of 2005.
On April 29, the Bombay High Court will start hearing the case between the warring companies, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL), to reach a quick decision on who will get access to the huge volumes of gas to be produced from RIL's block in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The court will also decide if the central government will be admitted as a party to the case. RNRL would oppose the central government's move to become a party to the case.
Resuming arguments over its dispute with Anil Ambani Group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd, senior counsel Harish Salve said it was RNRL which had in 2007 argued that marketing freedom cannot be allowed to the Mukesh Ambani-run firm and asked the government to frame Gas Utilisation Policy.
Petroleum ministry has rejected Reliance Industries Limited's plan to sell natural gas to Anil Ambani Group firm Reliance Natural Resources Ltd at less than half the market price.
Development plan for K-G basin runs for 12 years, so can't supply to RNRL for 17 years, says RIL.
RIL president and CEO (Oil and Gas) PMS Prasad, who met petroleum ministry officials to discuss under capacity production from the company's KG basin fields, said: "We have time till July 15 to decide. . . we are still evaluating our options."
Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL) lost more than a fourth of its market capitalisation in just two days of trading after the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG) announced its merger with sister firm Reliance Power (R-Power).
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