Latest news with #CBM
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Globaltec unit begins drilling at Indonesia's first commercial coalbed methane project
KUALA LUMPUR: Globaltec Formation Bhd's Australian-listed subsidiary, NuEnergy Gas Ltd, has commenced drilling the first of four wells under its Early Gas Sales Initiative in South Sumatra, Indonesia. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Globaltec said the drilling marks the start of Indonesia's first commercial coalbed methane (CBM) project. The well is located in the Tanjung Enim Production Sharing Contract's Plan of Development 1 (POD 1) area and targets initial gas sales of one million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd). "This milestone underscores NuEnergy's commitment to cleaner energy and validates the commercial viability of its coalbed methane assets," the company said. The POD 1 area, covering 33 square kilometres, holds certified reserves of 164.89 billion standard cubic feet and has a planned production capacity of 25 mmscfd. It is also backed by a heads of agreement with Indonesia's largest gas utility, PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Tbk, a subsidiary of Pertamina. Globaltec said the successful spudding of the well lays the foundation for further development and commercial delivery from its South Sumatra CBM assets. At press time, shares of Globaltec were trading at 47 sen, up 4.44 per cent from the previous close of 45 sen, valuing the company at RM126.49 million. The stock hit a two-year low of 42.5 sen on April 9 and has been trading between 46 sen and 49 sen since the start of the year.
The Print
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
What's the India-Pakistan civil nuclear facilities ‘non-attack' pact that has endured armed hostilities
This confidence-building measure (CBM) has endured the ups and downs in bilateral ties and over three decades of cross-border terrorism targeting India. Among key bilateral agreements between the two countries is the 1988 India-Pakistan nuclear installation agreement, formally called the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, under which both countries exchange the list of civil nuclear installations on 1 January every year. This year saw the 34th such exchange. New Delhi: With India-Pakistan relations hitting the nadir after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, both countries are now re-evaluating existing bilateral agreements in diplomatic tit for tat. While India has put the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, Pakistan, on its part, says it 'shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India including but not limited to Simla Agreement in abeyance'. In his first address to the nation since India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Modi said Monday, 'India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan, future will depend on their behaviour. Operation Sindoor is now India's new policy against terrorism, a new line has been drawn.' His remarks brought the 1988 agreement into focus. Also Read: Pokhran resident shrugs off drone incursions from Pakistan—'we're from land where nuclear tests happened' 1988 agreement Every year on 1 January, even in times of war, diplomatic chill or border skirmishes, India and Pakistan have exchanged a peculiar kind of New Year greeting—a list of each other's civilian nuclear facilities. India has 22 nuclear installations across the country, both civilian and military. These include installations at Tarapur, Madras, Narora, Kakrapar, Kaiga and Kudankulam. Pakistan entered the ranks of declared nuclear powers on 28 May, 1998, with five simultaneous underground nuclear tests at Chagai Hills in Ras Koh region of Balochistan. This was seen as a direct response to nuclear tests by India in Pokhran earlier that month. The 1 January exchange is part of the 1988 India-Pakistan Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, or simply the Non-Attack Agreement (NAA), which is a bilateral accord that, in effect, implements the intent of Articles 56 and 15 of the First and Second Protocols of the Geneva Conventions. These provisions say that installations containing dangerous forces such as dams, dykes, and nuclear power plants must not be targeted, even if they are considered military objectives, if such an attack could release harmful forces and cause significant civilian casualties. Signed in 1988 and brought into force in early 1991, NAA commits the two nuclear-armed neighbours to abstain from attacking each other's civilian nuclear facilities. It requires an annual exchange of the exact locations by latitude and longitude of power plants, enrichment labs, isotope separation units, and any site holding a significant quantity of radioactive material. The goal is to avoid triggering a nuclear catastrophe. However, the agreement does not mandate detailed disclosures about the nature or activities of these facilities. Under the agreement, 'nuclear installations or facilities' are defined as nuclear power and research reactors, fuel fabrication units, uranium enrichment and isotope separation plants, reprocessing facilities, and any other sites containing fresh or spent nuclear fuel or substantial quantities of radioactive materials. While this exchange has occurred consistently every year, the criteria for what constitutes a 'nuclear facility' remain vaguely defined, and the agreement includes no formal mechanisms to verify compliance, according to a July 2024 report by the Iowa-based non-profit Stanley Centre for Peace and Security. Despite its significance, the NAA has received little recognition in global nuclear policy discussions and is rarely cited as a model for broader nuclear risk reduction or safety frameworks, the report further states. India has repeatedly proposed expanding the agreement to include a pledge not to target civilian and economic infrastructure, but Pakistan has consistently rejected such proposals. Moreover, India's draft nuclear doctrine emphasises deterrence through the threat of inflicting 'unacceptable damage'. However, India has a No-First Use Policy. The draft doctrine was formalised in 2003. How the agreement came into effect According to the 2024 report by Stanley Centre, in 1981, Israel shocked the world with a preemptive airstrike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. For Pakistan, the attack was a wake-up call post 1971. Rumors of an Indo-Israeli plan to target Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility in the 1980s only deepened Islamabad's paranoia, the 2024 report mentions. India, on its part, too had reasons to worry, the report says. Its growing civilian nuclear infrastructure, which included power reactors and research labs, was vulnerable to preemptive strikes. With both countries inching toward nuclear capability, the risk of miscalculation or a deliberate strike on nuclear infrastructure became too dangerous to ignore. Negotiations began. And despite their deeply antagonistic relationship shaped by wars, espionage, and endless disputes over Kashmir, India and Pakistan found common ground: the mutual recognition that some targets should be off-limits, even during wars. Also Read: Did India hit 'nuke storage' facility in Pakistan's Kirana Hills? Here's what IAF ops chief said 'A symbolic measure' In practice, the agreement is largely symbolic. There's no provision for verifying whether the lists exchanged each year are comprehensive. And yet, both countries participate quietly and consistently. The lists arrive, the coordinates are updated, and the agreement, year after year, is silently reaffirmed. The NAA came to focus in 2022 as Russian forces shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the first direct military strike on a working nuclear facility in history, and the world took notice, according to the report. Suddenly, a 30-year-old South Asian agreement, long considered an artefact of localised tensions, began to look like a model. While the NAA lacks verification mechanisms and offers limited transparency about the full scope of nuclear facilities, its resilience and consistent implementation highlight its symbolic and practical value. Proposals to expand the agreement's scope for example, to include critical infrastructure like dams or to address terrorist threats, risk undermining its simplicity and reliability. The NAA emerged from a context of regional and global concerns over nuclear security, particularly after Israel's 1981 attack on Iraq's Osirak reactor. It aligns with broader international legal norms, including the Geneva Conventions and arms control treaties like the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: India committed to No First Use nuke policy, but 'future depends on circumstances': Rajnath
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Int'l physics conference concludes at PU
Chandigarh: An international conference organised by the physics department of Panjab University concluded successfully recently. Titled 'Theme Meeting on FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) Science', the event provided a platform for scientists, researchers, and students to engage in discussions about advancements in physics and interdisciplinary research. The inaugural session was attended by prominent guests, including Kaustav Sanyal (director, Bose Institute, Kolkata), Meenakshi Goyal (director, R&D Centre, Panjab University), and Nagaboopathy Mohan (international cooperation division, department of science and technology, GoI). The conference saw the participation of nine foreign scientists and delegates from FAIR-GSI (Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung), Germany, alongside nearly 50 prominent scientists from Indian institutions such as IITs, NISER, IISERs, VECC, BARC, and TIFR. Outreach activities engaged approximately 100 students from institutions within the Chandigarh region, fostering interest in research in advanced scientific fields. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Is Reported To Have Read Every... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The discussions focused on topics like heavy-ion physics , nuclear structure, astrophysics , and their medical and biophysics applications. The event encouraged collaborative exchanges between Indian and German scientists, especially regarding future partnerships in the CBM and NuSTAR programs. The meeting was organised by Bivash R Behera and Lokesh Kumar from PU's department of physics.
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Business Standard
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
RIL Q4 results: Net profit rises 2.4% to ₹19,407 cr, beats estimates
Beating analyst estimates, oil-retail-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RIL) on Friday reported a 2.4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) rise in its consolidated net profit (attributable to the owners) at ₹19,407 crore for the fourth quarter of the financial year ended March 2025 (Q4FY25). The performance was driven by its consumer-facing business (retail and telecom), but its oil-to-chemicals (O2C) division remained under pressure. The company also said it had become the first Indian corporate entity to post a net-worth exceeding ₹10 trillion. India's most valuable company posted a 3.6 per cent increase in consolidated profit before interest, depreciation and taxes (PBIDT), at ₹48,737 crore, while revenue for the March quarter climbed 10.5 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹2,61,388 crore. A Bloomberg poll of 11 analysts had pegged consolidated net adjusted income at ₹18,471 crore, with 18 analysts forecasting revenue of ₹2,40,800 crore. Sequentially, RIL's net profit was up 4.7 per cent, with revenue rising 8.9 per cent. 'The financial year 2024-25 had been a challenging year for the global business environment with weak macroeconomic conditions and a shifting geo-political landscape. Our focus on operational discipline, customer-centric innovation, and fulfilling India's growth requirements helped Reliance deliver a steady financial performance during the year,' said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of RIL in a statement. For the full financial year 2024-25, RIL reported record consolidated revenue of ₹9,64,693 crore, up 7.1 per cent Y-o-Y, aided by strong contributions from its consumer businesses and O2C. Consolidated net profit attributable to owners was largely flat at ₹69,648 crore, compared to ₹69,621 crore in FY24. Ambani said the O2C segment delivered a 'resilient' performance amid significant volatility in global energy markets. 'Significant demand-supply imbalances in downstream chemicals markets have led to multi-year low margins,' he said. 'Our business teams ensured optimisation of integrated operations and feedstock costs to enhance margin capture across value chains. The oil & gas business recorded its highest ever annual Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) led by higher production from our KGD6 and CBM blocks.' In the retail segment, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd reported a 30.4 per cent jump in net profit at ₹3,519 crore for the January–March quarter, with Ebitda from operations rising 14.6 per cent to ₹6,510 crore. Revenue from operations stood at ₹78,622 crore, up 16.3 per cent Y-o-Y, while gross revenue climbed 15.7 per cent to ₹88,620 crore. Sequentially, revenue from operations dipped 1.2 per cent, though net profit inched up by 1 per cent. The company opened 1,085 new outlets during the quarter, taking its total store count to 19,340 across 77.4 million sq ft of retail space. Gross revenue from Reliance Retail in FY25 was ₹3,30,870 crore, up 7.9 per cent from the previous year. Depreciation for the March quarter was down 3.4 per cent Y-o-Y at ₹1,402 crore, while finance costs remained largely flat. The business continued to expand its digital and new commerce platforms, which now account for 18 per cent of total revenue. Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL), the holding company for Reliance Jio and other digital assets, posted a 25.8 per cent Y-o-Y rise in net profit at ₹7,023 crore for Q4FY25, driven by higher telecom tariffs introduced in July. Sequentially, net profit rose 2.4 per cent. Jio maintained momentum in net profit growth, building on gains of 26 per cent, 23.4 per cent, 11.7 per cent and 12 per cent across the previous four quarters. Average Revenue Per User (Arpu) per month rose to ₹206.2 in Q4, up from ₹203.3 in the preceding quarter. Arpu in Q2 had reversed a four-month slump by rising to ₹191.5. Year-on-year, Arpu in Q4 was up 13.4 per cent. Ambani said the retail segment had demonstrated consistent growth through the year. 'In FY25, the business focused on a strategic recalibration of our store network, aimed at improving operational efficiencies and long-term sustainability,' he said. 'Our enhanced product catalogue and user experience across all formats strengthened customer engagement. The quick hyperlocal deliveries initiative has also gained significant traction in the market, connecting strongly with the users.' The RIL's chairman and managing director further said the digital services arm had achieved record revenues and profits, supported by a growing subscriber base and improved user engagement. 'Strong adoption of our 5G services and our home broadband offerings continues with accelerated addition in subscribers and in the number of home-connects,' he said. About the conglomerate's new business, Ambani said that during FY25, RIL laid a strong foundation for 'our projects in renewable energy and battery operations'. 'In the coming quarters, we will see the transition of this business from incubation to operationalisation,' he added RIL's net debt as of March 2025 was recorded at ₹1,17,083 crore, marginally higher than ₹1,16,281 crore a year ago. Net debt-to-Ebitda stayed steady at 0.60 times Y-o-Y. Capital expenditure also continued at a steady rate of ₹36,041 crore for the reporting quarter. Finance costs increased by 6.8 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹6,155 crore but a tad lower sequentially. The conglomerate's O2C business posted a 15.4 per cent Y-o-Y rise in segment revenue at ₹164,613 crore, but Ebitda for the segment was down 10 per cent Y-o-Y at ₹15,080 crore.
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Business Standard
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Reliance Q4 results: Net profit up 2.4% at ₹19,407 cr, beats estimates
Beating analyst estimates, oil-retail-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RIL) on Friday reported a 2.4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) rise in its consolidated net profit (attributable to the owners) at ₹19,407 crore for the fourth quarter of the financial year ended March 2025 (Q4FY25). The performance was driven by its consumer-facing business (retail and telecom), but its oil-to-chemicals (O2C) division remained under pressure. The company also said it had become the first Indian corporate entity to post a net-worth exceeding ₹10 trillion. India's most valuable company posted a 3.6 per cent increase in consolidated profit before interest, depreciation and taxes (PBIDT), at ₹48,737 crore, while revenue for the March quarter climbed 10.5 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹2,61,388 crore. A Bloomberg poll of 11 analysts had pegged consolidated net adjusted income at ₹18,471 crore, with 18 analysts forecasting revenue of ₹2,40,800 crore. Sequentially, RIL's net profit was up 4.7 per cent, with revenue rising 8.9 per cent. On a standalone basis, which primarily reflects the Mukesh Ambani-led firm's O2C operations, net profit was down 0.6 per cent Y-o-Y at ₹11,217 crore, while revenue slipped 9.4 per cent to ₹1,32,962 crore in the period under review. 'The financial year 2024-25 had been a challenging year for the global business environment with weak macroeconomic conditions and a shifting geo-political landscape. Our focus on operational discipline, customer-centric innovation, and fulfilling India's growth requirements helped Reliance deliver a steady financial performance during the year,' said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of RIL in a statement. For the full financial year 2024-25, RIL reported record consolidated revenue of ₹9,64,693 crore, up 7.1 per cent Y-o-Y, aided by strong contributions from its consumer businesses and O2C. Consolidated net profit attributable to owners was largely flat at ₹69,648 crore, compared to ₹69,621 crore in FY24. Ambani said the O2C segment delivered a 'resilient' performance amid significant volatility in global energy markets. 'Significant demand-supply imbalances in downstream chemicals markets have led to multi-year low margins,' he said. 'Our business teams ensured optimisation of integrated operations and feedstock costs to enhance margin capture across value chains. The oil & gas business recorded its highest ever annual Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) led by higher production from our KGD6 and CBM blocks.' In the retail segment, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd reported a 30.4 per cent jump in net profit at ₹3,519 crore for the January–March quarter, with Ebitda from operations rising 14.6 per cent to ₹6,510 crore. Revenue from operations stood at ₹78,622 crore, up 16.3 per cent Y-o-Y, while gross revenue climbed 15.7 per cent to ₹88,620 crore. Sequentially, revenue from operations dipped 1.2 per cent, though net profit inched up by 1 per cent. The company opened 1,085 new outlets during the quarter, taking its total store count to 19,340 across 77.4 million sq ft of retail space. Gross revenue from Reliance Retail in FY25 was ₹3,30,870 crore, up 7.9 per cent from the previous year. Depreciation for the March quarter was down 3.4 per cent Y-o-Y at ₹1,402 crore, while finance costs remained largely flat. The business continued to expand its digital and new commerce platforms, which now account for 18 per cent of total revenue. Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL), the holding company for Reliance Jio and other digital assets, posted a 25.8 per cent Y-o-Y rise in net profit at ₹7,023 crore for Q4FY25, driven by higher telecom tariffs introduced in July. Sequentially, net profit rose 2.4 per cent. Jio maintained momentum in net profit growth, building on gains of 26 per cent, 23.4 per cent, 11.7 per cent and 12 per cent across the previous four quarters. Average Revenue Per User (Arpu) per month rose to ₹206.2 in Q4, up from ₹203.3 in the preceding quarter. Arpu in Q2 had reversed a four-month slump by rising to ₹191.5. Year-on-year, Arpu in Q4 was up 13.4 per cent. Ambani said the retail segment had demonstrated consistent growth through the year. 'In FY25, the business focused on a strategic recalibration of our store network, aimed at improving operational efficiencies and long-term sustainability,' he said. 'Our enhanced product catalogue and user experience across all formats strengthened customer engagement. The quick hyperlocal deliveries initiative has also gained significant traction in the market, connecting strongly with the users.' The RIL's chairman and managing director further said the digital services arm had achieved record revenues and profits, supported by a growing subscriber base and improved user engagement. 'Strong adoption of our 5G services and our home broadband offerings continues with accelerated addition in subscribers and in the number of home-connects,' he said. About the conglomerate's new business, Ambani said that during FY25, RIL laid a strong foundation for 'our projects in renewable energy and battery operations'. 'In the coming quarters, we will see the transition of this business from incubation to operationalisation,' he added RIL's net debt as of March 2025 was recorded at ₹1,17,083 crore, marginally higher than ₹1,16,281 crore a year ago. Net debt-to-Ebitda stayed steady at 0.60 times Y-o-Y. Capital expenditure also continued at a steady rate of ₹36,041 crore for the reporting quarter. Finance costs increased by 6.8 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹6,155 crore but a tad lower sequentially. The conglomerate's O2C business posted a 15.4 per cent Y-o-Y rise in segment revenue at ₹164,613 crore, but Ebitda for the segment was down 10 per cent Y-o-Y at ₹15,080 crore. Ahead of the Q4 results that were announced post-market hours, shares of RIL closed at ₹1,300.05 apiece (down 0.12 per cent) on the BSE on Friday; the Sensex was down 0.74 per cent at 79,212.53.
