Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) - overseas arm - ONGC Videsh (OVL) and PetroVietnam, the major oil producing state owned company of Vietnam, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on September 15, 2014 to participate in the exploration of oil & gas in the offshore Vietnam, during the state visit of President of India to Vietnam.

The LOI provides for expansion of exploration activities by ONGC Videsh in Vietnam by considering participation in 2-3 additional blocks subject to technical and commercial viability and requisite approvals. In turn, PetroVietnam may consider participation in some of the exploration blocks of ONGC Videsh on mutually agreeable terms subject to due-diligence.

OVL forayed into Vietnam as early as 1988, when it bagged the exploration license for Block 06.1. The company got two exploration blocks - Block 127 and Block 128, in 2006. However, Block 127 was relinquished after completing the work programme, and the other block, Block 128 is currently under exploration. Additionally, ONGC Videsh and PetroVietnam have been engaged in further discussions for possible expansion of cooperation in hydrocarbon sector of Vietnam.