The rapidly changing dynamics in the global oil & gas sector and its impact on the companies in the hydrocarbon and allied sectors in India demand constant watch and evolution of new policies. This necessitates effective coordination with organisations in the public & private sector for identification of key issues and taking them up with the Government and other agencies.

To cover relevant issues, ongoing committees from member organisations, have been set up. These committees are:

1. Executive Committee
2. Search Committee
3. Budget & Investment Committee
4. Petroleum Policy & Legislations
5. Tariffs, Duties & Taxes
6. Inland Logistics Management
7. Marine Cooperation
8. Seminars, Training & Publications
9. Planning Committee
10. Guidelines For Retail Outlets
11. Measures To Curb Adulteration
12. SKO Marketing
13. LPG Marketing
14. Safety, Health & Environment
15.  Natural Gas / CNG / LNG
16. Alternative Sources of Energy

PetroFed has also constituted three Joint Committees of the Automobile and Petroleum Industries:
a) Emissions / Technical / I & C Task Force
b) Economics / Policy / Public Perceptions Task Force
c) Standing Committee

PetroFed has been nominated as nodal agency on the WTO Committee formed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG), Government of India.
PetroFed is also a Member on the Committee for Review of Control Orders set up by MoP&NG.

Publications

• Undertaken “Fuel Study- Past Trends & Future Scenario Building” through PwC in two parts to facilitate strategic planning:
  

Part I covers past five years till March 31, 2004, including transportation infrastructure, and projections till 2011,
Part II includes projections up to 2017, 2020 and 2030.
Part I is a 230-page hard bound publication titled “Fuelling India’s Growth: Past Trends and Scenario 2011-12”.
Part II is a 130-page hard bound publication titled “Fuelling India’s Growth: Vision 2030”.

Both publications are available from PetroFed at a nominal price of Rs. 500/- each.

• Publication “CEOs Conclave – Private Sector in the Oil Economy of India’ covering recommendations / decisions taken in the conclave.
• Publication  - “Paper on Review of E&P  Licensing Policy”.
• Publication – “Sustainable Imperative”, focuses on economic, environment and social development goals of Corporates in the form of Triple Bottom Line Reports.
• Publication - “Green Imperative: Future of Natural Gas in India- 2030” in association with member companies, industry experts and knowledge  partner PricewaterhouseCoopers, to sensitise stakeholders in initiating actions for India’s gas market development for overall economic growth.  The publication is available at a nominal price of Rs. 1000/-. 

Study Reports

PetroFed has developed several study reports for submission to Government and assistance of member companies:

• Industry suggestions / comments to MoP&NG on the Draft Policy for Development of Natural Gas Pipeline Networks.
• Undertook study on LPG Subsidy Administration and Marketing in association with IIM – Ahmedabad and forwarded to Government for consideration.  A presentation was also made on the same by IIM-A to senior officials of the industry and MoP&NG.
• As National Working Committee member, submitted to MoP&NG report on developing strategy to encourage global E&P technology and oil field service providers to consider India as a hub.  This was followed up with representation to MoP&NG and Ministry of Commerce to include E&P services for creation of SEZs.
• Developed report on ‘domestic petro-chemicals market capacity assessment’.
• Submitted to MoP&NG and MoF a Report on the Kerosene Distribution and related subsidy administration and the generation and assessment of options for improvement of the system.
• Study on opportunities in earning CERs through Clean Development Mechanism in downstream oil & gas sector.
• Submitted to Government reports on ‘Policy for Natural Gas Pipelines and City Gas Distribution’ .
• Submitted to Government reports on ‘Regulatory Issues on Natural Gas’ arising out of PNGRB Act 2006
• Submitted to Government and member companies a study on ‘workforce sustainability & talent management in the Indian oil & gas upstream industry’ covering the scenario of human resource requirements and availability in the next decade and actions needed by India to develop such resource for local as well as global need.
• Submitted to Government a study of ‘macroeconomic impact of high oil prices’ on five selected developing countries which gauges the impact on the Indian economy in greater detail using inter-linkages between different sectors of the economy.
• As member of Sub-Groups of MoP&NG for XI Plan, submitted Reports on operationalisation of ‘Integrated Energy Policy’ & ‘Synergy in Energy’.
• Submitted to Government report on Review of NELP VI & Industry Recommendations for NELP VII.
• Submitted to Government industry recommendations for modifications to Model Production Sharing Contract for NELP VII.
• Submitted to Government report on ‘Regulatory Issues on Oil arising out of PNGRB Act 2006’.
• Suggestions to Government on ‘Government Actions for Gas Market Development in India’.
• Finalising Report on ‘Diesel substitutes from Oil Seeds in India’

Industry Issues taken up by PetroFed

PetroFed has coordinated on several key issues and submitted the industry’s views to Government for consideration. These include:

• Proposals for the Union Budget highlighting the industry’s recommendations and expectations.
• Report on measures to curb adulteration at Retail Outlets.
• Comments on Dr. Kelkar Committee report on Direct and Indirect taxes.
• Industry’s recommendation regarding determination of Transaction Value of Kerosene (PDS) and LPG (Domestic) for Excise Duty imposition.
• Recommendations regarding amendments required in various Control Orders in the post APM deregulated era.
• Industry’s comments and recommendations on Dr. Mashlekar Committee Report on Auto Fuel Policy and its review. 
• Industry recommendations to Government on issues related to oil & gas sector pertaining to WTO negotiations under General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade (GATT) and General Agreement for Trade in Services (GATS).
• Industry suggestion / comments to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on E&P Accounting Guidelines.
• Representation to Government on the issue of Service Tax in the E&P and related services sector.
• Representation to the ‘Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on VAT’ and input tax credit.
• Representation to MoP&NG and Ministry of Finance on partial mitigation of subsidy burden on the oil companies and issuance of Oil Bonds to stand-alone refineries.
• Representation to MoP&NG and Ministry of Finance on Service Tax exemption under key heads in E&P sector.
• Representation to Government on disallowing of deduction claimed under Section 80-IB(9) of the Income Tax Act for lack of clarity on inclusion of petroleum and natural gas in definition of mineral oil.
• Representation to MoP&NG on Classification of Naphtha.
• Recommendations regarding extension of External Commercial Borrowings and/or Trade Credit in respect of services availed of by the Oil & Gas Sector for Oil Exploration & Development.

In addition to the above, PetroFed regularly organises seminars / Workshops/ Round-Table discussions on a variety of subjects aimed at broadening knowledge and skills and  professional development of members of the Petroleum industry and disseminating information about the industry and other related sectors.

• Launched a series of Learning & Education Workshops beginning with one on Indian & global emerging practices in E&P Accounting with international faculty from PwC as knowledge partner and association of the ICAI.
• Organised its first overseas delegation to Global Oil Peak Gathering at Koblenz, Germany in October 2004 where Director General, PetroFed made a presentation on Energy situation & Policy of India.
• Organise annually Senior Management Meet on ‘Implications of the Union Budget on the Oil & Gas Industry’ on the day following presentation of the Union Budget in Parliament.
• Co-Chaired Programme Committee of Petrotech 2005 Conference & Exhibition.
• Organised in association with DGH two Brainstorming Sessions on R&D in E&P sector chaired by the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Panchayati Raj and attended by the Secretary, MoP&NG, other senior Government officials of MoP&NG, members from the industry and academia. The first such Brainstorming Session on the downstream sector was organised in early 2006.
• Organised conclave of CEOs, CFOs, Company Secretaries to discuss select amendments in Clause 49 of SEBI listing agreement where compliance issues for listed companies were deliberated.
• Offered Consultancy to a leading business house.
• Organised seminar on “Impact of rising Oil Prices and Possible solutions’ chaired by Shri N. Janardhana Reddy, M.P. and Chairman, Standing Committee on Petroleum & Natural Gas.
• Organised CEOs Conclave on “Private Sector in the Oil Economy of India” in the presence of the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Panchayati Raj, senior officials of MoP&NG, CEOs from private sector and key public sector undertakings and heads of other organisations under MoP&NG like DGH, PCRA, OIDB, CHT and PPAC.
• Assisting industry by coordinating with Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD)/ Government in finalising Draft Petroleum & Natural Gas (Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules 2006 under Oilfield (Regulations & Development) Act 1948 to be read with relevant provisions of Maritime Zones of India (MZI) Act 1976.
• Organised national seminar on Standardisation in Oil & Gas Sector in association with Bureau of Indian Standards.
• Organised national workshop on Data Quality.
• Organised workshop on Taxability of Contracts
• Organised Workshop on Oil Price Risk Management – An Indian Perspective for practicing managers.
• As India’s nominee on the US National Petroleum Council Committee on Global Oil & Gas provided inputs on Oil & Gas demand scenario in India till 2030 and attended first Coordinating Subcommittee Meeting at Washington D.C.
• Organised industry delegation to 37th St. Gallen Symposium at Switzerland.
• Organised seminar on Global Liquids & Gas Supply Dynamics - Implications for India in knowledge partnership with PFC Energy, USA giving probabilistic forecast up to 2020.
• Organised International Symposium on Biofuels jointly with UOP LLC, USA in association with PFC Energy, USA.
• Ongoing series of Guest lectures by eminent professionals.
• Organising workshops / seminars / conference on various topics.

PetroFed Awards

PetroFed has instituted oil and gas industry awards to recognise the contribution made by corporates and individuals in creating leadership.  There are eleven awards in nine categories to recognise and celebrate the leaders, innovators and pioneers for their outstanding achievements.  The awards will be given away in the following categories:

Corporate Awards

• Leading Oil & Gas Corporate of the Year
• Exploration & Production – Company of the year
• Refinery of the year
• Oil & Gas pipeline transportation – Company of the year
• Oil & Gas Marketing – Company of the Year
• Project Management – Company of the year (one for projects between Rs. 500 to Rs. 5,000 crore and the other for projects above Rs. 5,000 crore).
• Human Resources Management – Company of the Year

Individual & Team Category

• Innovator of the Year – Individual
• Innovator of the Year – Team
• Woman Executive of the year

All awards carry a trophy and citation.

The Innovator of the Year – (Individual) award also carries a cash prize of Rs. 200,000 whereas the team award carries a cash prize of Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 600,000 depending on the member of persons in the team.  The woman executive of the year award carries a cash prize of Rs. 100,000.

Application for each award has to be made in prescribed format which can be obtained from PetroFed Awards Secretariat or downloaded from the PetroFed website.