ONGC shares in focus after petrochemical arm exits from Dahej SEZ, eyes local market
ONGC will be in focus on Monday after its subsidiary ONGC PetroAdditions Ltd (OPaL) decided to relinquish its «only-for-export» status and shift its focus to the rapidly expanding domestic petrochemical market. The company has received final approval to exit the Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ), and will now operate as a Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) unit, effective from March 8, 2025.
This move will enable OPaL to concentrate primarily on serving the domestic market, instead of exporting products, which was the primary purpose of operating within an SEZ. As a DTA unit, OPaL will be exempt from paying customs duties on products sold within India, which is expected to enhance its profit margins.
The strategic shift aims to capitalize on the growing domestic market and take advantage of India’s lower corporate tax structure. OPaL sources ethane (C2) and propane (C3) from ONGC’s C2C3 project, which extracts these crucial petrochemical components from liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Qatar. OPaL processes C2 and C3 to produce polymers and chemicals such as benzene and butadiene.
OPaL has been facing financial difficulties due to high levels of debt and less profitable export ventures. The company reported a loss of Rs 3,546 crore in the 2023-24 fiscal year and incurred a loss of Rs 2,392 crore during the first nine months of the current year. To address this, ONGC provided financial assistance by injecting additional equity capital of up to Rs 10,501 crore, converting compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs)