The government on Thursday announced the new petroleum product pipeline policy based on the principle of common carrier. The policy would apply to those pipelines which would carry petroleum products like petrol and diesel from the refineries apart from gas. Gas pipeline policy would be announced later.However, the common carrier principle would apply to only excess capacity in the existing petroleum product pipeline but future capacity built would have to be shared with the industry. Briefing reporters, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said “common carrier principle would not apply to (existing) dedicated pipelines. Only the excess capacity can be shared. Capacity of product pipelines constructed, hereafter, would be shared.” Decision on HPCL, BPCL could be delayed New Delhi: A decision on sale of government equity in HPCL and BPCL could be delayed beyond the December 7, deadline with Ram Naik stating that he had no information about the next meeting of the CCD. “I am not aware of the next CCD meeting,” Naik told reporters when asked if the Prime Minister had called any meeting this week to resolve the issue. “It is a Cabinet issue now and whatever I have to say I will say it there,” he said. PTI Oil companies/investors interested in laying a product pipeline originating from a refinery or a port would be required to publish the proposal inviting other interested companies to take capacity in the pipeline, Naik said, while adding that the capacity would be shared on mutually agreed commercial terms.New pipelines would necessarily have to provide at least 25 per cent extra capacity for other users, the minister said. “The pipeline tariff would be subject to the control orders or the regulations that may be issued by the government under the appropriate law in force,” he added.
