Saudi Funds

October 03 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is in talks with Saudi Arabia to secure over 500 million dollars to expand the island’s oil refining capacity, with the state oil company hoping to fast track the project. “We are currently carrying out a feasibility study for the project and are also in talks with the Saudi […]

New Ball

September 30, 2006 (LBO) — Ceylon Petroleum Corp. (CPC) Chairman Jaliya Medagama resigned Saturday citing personal reasons. Medagama will be succeeded by ex-cricketer Asantha de Mel. De Mel, who is currently the chairman of CPCs oil storage and distribution facility, is also believed to have close links with President Mahinda Rajapakse. In July, petroleum trade […]

Hedge Advice

Sept 28, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should hedge oil prices to mitigate negative effects on the economy, by entering into contracts with foreign banks, the country’s central bank said in a statement. The Central Bank said it had made a presentation in early September to the President and Cabinet of Ministers to explain schemes […]

Precious Data

Sept 27, 2006 (LBO) – India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp and British Gas have bought up seismic data on potential oil deposits off Sri Lanka’s west coast, for two million dollars. Investors interested in potential oil reserves in the Mannar Basin could buy data from the Sri Lankan government, ahead of a bidding round […]

Pricing Wars

Sept 27 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state oil giant Ceypetco dropped fuel prices on Wednesday to appease trade unions, but has been helped by falling world prices of crude oil. Sri Lanka is expected to pay over 2.0 billion dollars this year, up from 1.6 billion last year for oil imports. (corrected) Sri Lanka’s minister […]

Pending News

September 26, 2006 (LBO) – Lanka IOCs share prices perked up Tuesday after the Indian fuel retailer announced plans to ink a deal next week, which settles billions of rupees due from the Sri Lankan government. “Our ‘settlement agreement’ with the government of Sri Lanka on resolving the long pending subsidy issue is planned to […]

Oil Slump

SINGAPORE, Sept 25, 2006 (AFP) – Oil prices fell back below 60 dollars in Asian trade Monday to their lowest level in six months, before regaining some ground, partly on easing concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, dealers said. At 2:40 pm (0640 GMT) New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, was down […]

Price Cushion

SINGAPORE, September 19, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka said Tuesday it was moving towards eliminating oil subsidies that are threatening to blow a hole in the nation’s budget and asked lenders for financial help to tide over oil shocks. Public Administration minister Sarath Amunugama said the government has responded appropriately to the sustained sharp rise […]

Japan Power

SINGAPORE, September 16, 2006 (LBO) – Japan has come forward to help Sri Lanka expand its energy mix, with financial backing to build a liquefied natural gas power plant, a top official said. Sri Lanka’s Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundara says the government hopes to have an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plant up and running […]

Tit for Tat

Sept 15 (LBO) – Lanka Indian Oil Corp., will drop fuel prices again from Friday to recover a 50 percent loss in volumes due to price wars with Sri Lanka’s state oil corporation. We will be reducing our prices by one rupee on a litre of petrol and diesel with effect from midnight Friday. It […]

Hedging Option

Sept 14 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is looking at oil futures to hedge against increasing crude prices and control the island’s runway oil bill next year, officials said. Sri Lanka is hoping to bring about a more stable macro-economic framework in the next few years and one such move to do this is to take […]

Burning Question

Sept 11, 2006 (LBO) – Oil will feature high on the agenda when Commonwealth finance ministers meet in Colombo, with delegates due to share ideas on how small countries like Sri Lanka can tide over soaring costs of crude. “Major issues being taken up will be high oil prices in addition to trade related issues […]

Page 36 of 58