India, Canada Hold Third Energy Dialogue

Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Canadian natural resources minister James Gordon Carr jointly chaired the Third India-Canada Energy Dialogue in New Delhi September 8.

The two countries discussed Indian investments in Canadian upstream sector, sourcing of crude and technologies from Canada, and the ‘Discovered Small Fields Bidding Round’ which the Indian oil ministry officially launched May 25. 

The government is offering 67 discovered small oil and gas discoveries, grouped into 46 contract areas spread over nine sedimentary basins in onshore, shallow water and deep water areas.

Both sides also discussed collaboration in the field of technology, including R&D, shale gas and gas hydrates technology and clean fuel technology, the Indian government said.

Third India-Canada Energy Dialogue in New Delhi (Credit: Indian govt)

Indian energy firms have been eyeing oil and gas resources in Canada to augment supplies to meet rising demand for energy back home. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has a participating interest of 10% in the Petronas-led Pacific North West LNG Project in British Columbia.

Pradhan requested his Canadian counterpart to expedite the required federal environmental clearances for the project to take off at an early date. In March, it was further delayed when Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) was granted a three-month extension to complete the study the project.

The project faces other difficulties too, however. This summer, Shell abandoned its plans to build an LNG export plant, also in British Columbia, in the context of the persisting LNG oversupply and low prices.

Shardul Sharma