Dr Reddy's alcohol facility in Mexico goes on stream

Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL), on 17 March 2010, commissioned the commercial scale manufacturing facility for pharma grade mPEG alcohols at its Cuernavaca facility in Mexico.

The mPEG (methyl ether polyethylene glycol) alcohol manufactured in Mexico is likely to be supplied to DRL's c-GMP facility in Mirfield, UK, where commercial scale activation is carried out. While a part of the total activated mPEG production is to be used by DRL for captive purposes, rest will be sold to its customers.

Tata Motors to set up truck plant in Myanmar

The facilities planned at the plant include a highly flexible chassis & frame assembly line along with a cab manufacturing, painting and trimming set-up. The plant is to have a capacity of 1,000 vehicles per year and is to become operational by the last quarter of 2010-11. The capacity can be expanded to 5,000 units.

OVL makes two oil discoveries in Syria

OVL, the overseas arm of ONGC, has made two oil discoveries with a combined potential of 185 million barrels in a block in north eastern Syria.

OVL and its partner IPR Mediterranean Exploration discovered the Rashid and Abu Khashab oilfields in Block-24. Rashid-1 well, drilled up to 1,739 metres, tested oil at the rate of 1,343 bpd. The second discovery well Abu Khashab-1 penetrated Jeribe formation of Miocene age at 950 mtrs and tested oil with a rate of 900 bpd. The third well Abu Khashab-2 was drilled to deeper horizons Dibbane and Chilou, where oil was found. Block-24 is spread over 1,927 sq km. OVL holds 60 per cent interest in it, while the remaining 40 per cent is with IPR.

PT Madhucon begins coal mine work in Indonesia

PT Madhucon Indonesia, a subsidiary of Madhucon Projects, has been granted new coal mining permit for exploration of about 30,970 ha in Muraduwa in South Sumatra.

The company is likely to engage expert agencies for environmental impact analysis, coal exploration and other mandatory clearances. All the necessary clearances for exploration and production are likely to be in place in the next three-four years. Meanwhile, Madhucon has commenced operation at a coal mine at Dawas in South Sumatra spread over 10,000 ha. The necessary logistics and support infrastructure is now being created. The mine is estimated to have reserves of about 900 million tonne.

Adani Power in fray for 1,000-MW Kosovo project

Adani Power has reportedly been shortlisted for a 1,000-MW coal based power generation project in Kosovo, part of the European Union.

The other companies who are in race include AES Corporation of the United States, Turkey's Demir Export AS & Park Holding and a consortium of Public Power Corporation, Greece, and ContourGlobal US.

The Kosovo Government is expected to take the final call by September 2010 and expects to start setting up the plant by early 2011. It may also hold equity in the power project. The developer is likely to invest about Rs 5,000 crore and get access to the local lignite mine for fuel linkage.

India, Russia ink atomic energy deal

The Union Government and the Russia Government, on 12 March 2010, signed slew of pacts including an Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in Atomic Energy.

The two countries upgraded their nuclear energy partnership by signing an agreement for the construction of as many as 16 Russian nuclear reactors at three different sites in India. Of the total, six reactors are likely to be built between 2012 and 2017. Russia is already constructing two nuclear power units in Tamil Nadu. Construction of the Haripur station in West Bengal is likely to begin after 2017.

A commercial agreement on nuclear power development between NPCIL and Atomstroy Export on Koodankulam III and IV has also been inked. In the hydrocarbon sector, an agreement on Protocol of Cooperation was signed between ONGC and Russia's Gazprom.

Tata, Chevron bid for geothermal project in Indonesia

Tata Power Company and Chevron Corporation's Indonesian unit have submitted bids to build a geothermal power plant at Sorik Merapi, North Sumatra in Indonesia, with initial capacity of 55 MW gradually increasing to 200 MW.

Tata is part of a consortium with Indonesia based firm PT Supraco Energy.

The Indonesia Government has launched Phase I of the programme to add 10,000 MW of generating capacity from 35 new coal-fired power plants, which are mostly still under construction.