ONGC bags two major projects in Sudan

KHARTOUM, Oct. 22, 2003 (PTI) — International arm of India’s major PSU ONGC Videsh has secured two major projects in this African nation for laying of a 714 km pipeline from Khartoum to Port Sudan for carrying crude oil product and revamping of a refinery in the Port of Sudan at a cost of USD 750 million.

Talking to reporters accompanying President A P J Abdul Kalam on his three-day visit to Sudan, Managing Director and CEO of ONGC, Videsh, Atul Chandra said “we are the largest investor in Sudan and the biggest challenge that we had to face here was to replace a Canadian company and at the same time we had to ensure that the Sudanese government did not feel we are any less and we have been able to maintain it.”

He said his company would encourage Indian firms to invest in these two projects playing the role of “door opener” and encourage Indian business to invest in this African nation.

Chandra said China had invested 20 billion US dollars in this country and are providing a tough competition to Indian business with even American companies evincing keen interest in investing here