Sudan invites India to invest in oil, gas Sector

June 1, 2007 (NEW DELHI) — Sudan has invited Indian oil and gas companies to bid “aggressively” for exploration blocks in the country and develop the upstream hydrocarbons business, an Indian government statement said Friday.

The statement follows a meeting between India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora and Sudan’s Energy Minister Awad Ahmad Al-Jaz in Paris on Thursday May 31.

Deora is in Paris to attend a ministerial meeting at the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Sudanese Energy Minister Awad Ahmad Al-Jaz lauded the role played by ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp in the development of Sudanese oil exploration and production sectors.

ONGC Videsh, the Sudanese minister said, had completing a pipeline project in Sudan before schedule and invited Indian companies to aggressively participate in the coming round of bidding for exploration blocks in Sudan.

ONGC Videsh, a unit of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp. has a 25% stake in Sudan’s producing asset Greater Nile Oil Project and in two exploration projects.

(ST)