Downward revision in gas prices negative for upstream gas players, but positive for downstream gas marketing companies, fertilisers, tiles and power sectors
The appointment of an independent international expert, which RIL-BP have been pressing for several months now, would establish who is right and who is wrong.
Reliance Industries has said it is being punished twice over -- first by levy of a USD 1.78 billion penalty and then by being denied a gas price revision, for a single crime of not producing in line with projections that were not even contractual commitments.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had on June 27 approved pricing of all domestic gas through Rangarajan formula from April 1, 2014. The price of gas as per the formula is likely to be about USD 8.4 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) as opposed to USD 4.2/mmBtu currently.
Finance minister P Chidambaram, while addressing press conference after the meeting, said the cabinet would take up gas price issue in CCEA next week. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) shares rose more than two percent.