Expedite green nod for IOC project, India tells Canada
India asked Canada to expedite the environmental clearances for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s (IOC) LNG project in British Columbia, even as Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan urged Canadian firms to invest heavily in the country’s hydrocarbon sector.
The matter was raised by Pradhan with Canada’s Minister for Natural Resources James Gordon Carr during the 3rd India-Canada Energy Dialogue that was held here on Thursday.
IOC has a participating interest of 10 per cent in the Pacific North West LNG Project in British Columbia along with Petronas of Malaysia and other partners. The Indian firm is expected to offtake 1.34 MMT of LNG once the project is operational.
Sensitive island
The Canadian government had sought details from IOC on the impact of its project on the environment, as it is located in a sensitive island rich with natural resources. The locals in the island are also protesting against the project.
Both sides also discussed ways to deepen the scope of the Canada-India Energy Dialogue, which started in 2013, through mutual consultation, including in trade and investment in oil and gas, clean technology, electricity, renewables and energy efficiency.
“Our actions to promote access to energy and align climate and energy policies will promote sustainable development and help enhance two-way trade between our countries, and provide better energy reliability for households,” said a joint statement issued after the meeting.
Both sides decided to facilitate attempts towards the development of an action plan that will establish the critical steps forward on the implementation of cooperative energy projects.
