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Wednesday, 20 November 19
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN COMMERCIAL COAL MINING IN INDIA? - DIPESH DIPU
 In August 2019, Government of India announced its approval for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for coal mining, processing and sale. Not that FDI in coal mining sector was new, but novelty in that was that government now permitted foreign ownership of coal mines for commercial sale of coal produced from such mines. He justifications provided by government sources included need for competition in a sector that has been traditionally dominated by government-owned companies Coal India Limited and Singareni Collieries Company Limited; need for enhanced production as here has been shortfall in meeting demand; and, need for newer technologies that may bring in sustainability to coal mining. These indeed are commendable objectives and opening up the sector for foreign participation may certainly be considered a step in the right direction. However, public policy needs to be grounded in realism, and the reality of attractiveness of commercial coal mining in India does not bode well for foreign participation.
The response of government-owned companies for coal blocks on offer for allotment for commercial coal mining was announced in early August 2019 provides the evidence. Nine coal blocks were put on offer for sale of coal in markets and the eligibility for these were restricted to government-owned companies including the state government-owned ones. There were, however, only three coal blocks[1] that received applications by NMDC Limited, Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation and Madhya Pradesh State Mining Corporation. This lukewarm response may indicate towards the market sentiments for commercial coal mining in India. It must also be considered here that the coal blocks for allotment for government-owned companies do not have the two-stage auction based bidding for winning the blocks and, thus, the pay-out required to win these coal blocks may be lower in comparison to coal blocks put out for auctions. So, even with lower additional pay-out to government in the form of premium the coal blocks have not found many takers. There may be several underlying economic reasons, which are amplified for foreign participants, and thus, require consideration to evaluate if this approval for FDI in commercial coal mining would have any impact and if it would meet its stated objectives.
The first and the foremost is the economic feasibility of these mines. The foreign, and indeed any private company, would have to participate in auction process for winning a coal block, and commit to a competitive premium to access the resources. This has been an impediment for private sector participation in India, given the evidence of coal blocks awarded for captive consumption in power and non-regulated sectors that include cement, steel and other approved end users. There seems to be some sanity dawning on participants on these auction with every successive rounds of auction, seen from the lower winning premiums, and hence, it may be expected that the trend may continue. Nonetheless, the premium will certainly erode the margins for commercial miners, the extent of this erosion would be a function of degree of competition for the coal blocks. The margins are also likely to be uncertain in view of the price volatility of coal, which in Indian market is pegged with CIL price and a certain premium that reflects typically the discount that IL prices tend to have over energy-equivalent international prices. This uncertainty of prices is likely to be confounded by the uncertainty in demand-supply gap that these commercial miners are required to fulfil. There has been a shortfall in supply in the recent past, evident from the rise in coal imports in the last two years even with the stated objective of the government to reduce coal imports. This may present itself as an opportunity. However, the question is whether this shortfall is likely to sustain, and thus, create a marketplace for commercial miners. With a slump in thermal power generation and nearly absent pipeline of new coal based projects, this assumption may be quite a big one to make and decide in favour of making foreign direct investment in Indian coal mining.
Other important risks pertain to project execution. There have been several impediments in coal mining project implementations, such as procurement of licenses and permits, acquisition of land and rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected people. These, apart from the procedural challenges, involve risk of reputation. Business practices on all these accounts in mining sector have often been marred with controversies and have led to perceptions of externalities in these processes having significant influence on the outcomes. Foreign participants in Indian mining have been wary of these, and hence, have had little success to show even though they have had offices and a few exploration and contract mining projects in India. Apart from reputation, the risks in procurement of licenses and land acquisition create the risks of project delays, which may then translate into cost escalations, thereby impacting project economics. Coal mining projects may have such challenges in attracting foreign direct investment.
There are challenges of talent shortage and financing as well. Innovative technologies that the foreign miners are likely to bring in India will require high quality geo-statisticians, geologists, mine planners and mining engineers. India does produce graduates in these areas of study but quantities do no necessarily reflect quality, which are further compounded by the brain drain of talent into other industries, primarily, information technology. Mining industry in general, and coal mining in particular, has not been able to retain relent in the last decade or so, with advent of opportunities for the smart geoscientists and engineers in alternate industries. Foreign mining companies may find this crippling.
There are challenges in financing too. Coal mining projects may have been good candidates for resource-based financing, but that has not happened on account of several factors, not the least of those being dominance of government-owned companies priding themselves on debt-free balance sheets, and the quality of geological information that may be inferior to global standards. The market for debt for coal mining then often reduces itself to equipment financing with the equipment being securitised to the lenders. Globally preferred model of equipment leasing is still in its relatively early stages of comprehension and acceptance in Indian mining. With limited options of raising finances, the higher degree of equity investments may also be a deterrent for foreign investors as the may have comparable projects competing for scarce capital.
Coal mining industry has been on a downward spiral globally. Foreign large miners have divested or are divesting their stakes in coal projects. Global bankers have committed themselves to not financing coal and coal based power projects. Insurance companies are shying away from coal projects too. The ecosystem for coal mining project execution is dying. Epitaphs are being written on coal and its demise is predicted by governments, investors and policy analysts wold over. But for the coal addiction of Asia, China and India in particular, the demise may have been sooner. Under such gloomy outlook for the industry, with coal mining companies filing for bankruptcies frequently, it would be tough to get these foreign companies to look at Indian destinations favourably. An industry staring at terminal decline may not witness new investors, and old ones that may have been facing severe challenges in their home countries to look out for opportunities in India.
Optimism at this point of time of foreign miners participating in Indian coal mining sector, that presents a challenging business environment, may be misplaced. Only when the government calls for applications for coal blocks for sale of coal with permitted participation for foreign direct investment that the final picture shall emerge.
By Dipesh Dipu
Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Expert
This article originaly published on economictimes and Linkedin
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Wednesday, 20 November 19
AUSTRALIA'S NEW HOPE POSTS 66% SURGE IN Q1 SALEABLE COAL OUTPUT - REUTERS
Australian coal producer New Hope Corp Ltd reported on Tuesday a 66% jump in saleable coal production in the first quarter, as output ramped up at ...
Wednesday, 20 November 19
THE IMO AND THE PRICE OF GAS OR THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION'S SULPHUR 2020 LIMIT FOR MARINE FUEL OIL ON THE PRICE OF GAS - KING & SPALDING
The main bunker fuel for ships is High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO, with sulphur up to 3.5% m/m (mass by mass)). This will all change on 1 January 2020 ...
Wednesday, 20 November 19
SHIPPING MARKET INSIGHT - INTERMODAL
While the market expects the next OPEC meeting, there are still no clear signs indicating that the organization will keep supporting oil prices, wh ...
Monday, 18 November 19
CHINA RECORDS STABLE COAL PRODUCTION IN JAN-OCT: XINHUA
China’s raw coal output registered stable growth in the first 10 months, while its imports remained robust, official data showed.
...
Monday, 18 November 19
SUPRAMAX: IN THE INDONESIAN COAL BUSINESS, A 58KDWT VESSEL FIXED DELIVERY PHILIPPINES, REDELIVERY INDIA AT CLOSE TO $8,000 - BALTIC BRIEFING
Capesize
For most of the week the rates were nudging up under a flurry of activity in the Pacific as levels for the West Australia to China C5 ...
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- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- The University of Queensland
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Planning Commission, India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- PTC India Limited - India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Australian Coal Association
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Minerals Council of Australia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
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