Bad blood in H-Energy fight with IOC
There's no sign to an end of the bad blood between Mumbai-based real estate to LNG infrastructure developer H-Energy and public sector refiner IndianOil.
On December 6, H-Energy won a minor victory against IndianOil when the PNGRB ruled that a panel led by secretary Vandana Sharma, K. Rajeshwara Rao (on loan from HPCL) and SK Agrawal (on loan from BPCL) would examine IOC, HPCL and BPCL records to see if IOC wilfully and deliberately intended to avoid the bidding route for a 670-km LPG pipeline from Paradip in Orissa to Haldia and Durgapur in West Bengal.
This panel must hand in its report within two months after which the PNGRB will rule in the matter. Importantly, the PNGRB indirectly told IOC to stop work till it delivers a verdict.
It said IOC can continue work, "at its own risk and will not be entitled to claim relief on the ground of equity and huge investment (sic)." IOC argues the pipeline is 'captive' for its own use to transport LPG from Paradip and Haldia to its own bottling plants and will not be used to carry LPG for any other company.
