Standard Post with Image

ONGC takes on Oil Ministry, RIL in Delhi HC

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has so far been known for being his master's voice. But on Thursday, the state-run explorer found its voice to bark at the government and Reliance Industries Ltd, charging the oil ministry of closing its eyes while India's biggest private oil company tapped gas from its Andhra offshore block.

The company filed a petition in the Delhi High Court accusing RIL of drawing 18 billion cubic metres of gas since 2009 from a pool of gas straddling their adjacent blocks since 2009. Justice Manmohan issued notices to the ministry, its technical arm Directorate General of Hydrocarbons and Reliance, asking them to respond by the next date of hearing on May 29.

ONGC's move comes within four days of Reliance and its partners, British energy major BP plc and Canadian explorer Niko, serving arbitration notice on the ministry for delaying revision in the price of gas produced by them from the KG-D6 block.

Source-On Request