英语读译天天练09

BP vies with US majors for a stake in Reliance Industries' Bengal gas field

Three of the world's biggest energy companies are competing for a stake in a giant natural gas field discovered by Reliance Industries in the deep waters of India's Bay of Bengal.

UK-based BP and Chevron and ExxonMobil of the US are in talks with Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector exploration company, for an interest in a field in the Krishna Godavari basin. Lord Browne, BP's chief executive, held talks with Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, during a visit to India last week to sign an agreement to help Hindustan Petroleum build a $3bn refinery in the Punjab. The meeting was followed by further talks between senior executives of the two companies.

The Reliance field, within easy reach of one of the world's fastest growing energy consumers, was 2002's largest gas discovery. “BP is desperate to get its hands on the field, but it has some serious competition,” said a banker close to one of the three oil majors.

Lord Browne told the Financial Times in New Delhi: “We need to do more [in India]. We are looking at various options in exploration and production, as well as more in refining and marketing.” Asked if BP was interested in a stake in the Reliance field, he said: “We've certainly registered it. It's an important set of discoveries in a world class basin. It would be good if BP were represented there.”

Hurdles remain; India's main consuming areas are in its west and north, whilst the new field is in the south-east. No adequate pipeline exists although one is part of the development plan. However, the project is just the type that oil majors prefer, where the find has been made but still needs to be developed.

答案:
    全球最大的三家能源公司正竞相入股一个巨型天然气田。这个气田是印度信心工业公司(Reliance Industries) 在印度孟加拉湾的深水海域发现的。
英国石油(BP)、美国的雪佛龙(Chevron)及埃克森美孚(ExxonMobil)正与信心工业这家印度最大的私营勘探公司进行谈判，旨在入股位于克里希纳·戈达瓦里(Krishna Godavari)海盆的这个气田。英国石油首席执行官布朗勋爵(Lord Browne)上周访问了印度，此行是为了签署一份协议，帮助印度斯坦石油公司(Hindustan Petroleum)在旁遮普邦建造一座30亿美元的炼油厂。访印期间，他与信心工业董事长穆克什·安巴尼(Mukesh Ambani)举行了会谈。此后，两家公司的高管又进行了进一步商谈。
信心工业的这个气田，是2002年发现的最大气田，接近印度这个全球发展最快的能源消费国之一。一名接近上述三大石油巨头之一的银行家说：“英国石油极其渴望入股该气田，但它遇到严峻的竞争。”
布朗勋爵在新德里告诉《金融时报》说：“我们需要在印度做更多。我们在考虑勘探和生产领域的各种可能选择，并考虑在炼油和市场营销方面做更多工作。”当被问及英国石油是否有意入股信心工业的这块气田时，他说：“我们当然已经表达了兴趣。它是位于一块世界级盆地的一组重要发现。如果英国石油能在那里建立业务，那会很好。”
但还是存在一些障碍：印度主要消费区在西部和北部，而新油田在印度东南方。没有足够的输送管道，尽管开发计划包括一条管道。然而，该项目正是主要石油公司喜欢的类型，即气田已被发现，但仍有待开发。

卡萝拉·霍约斯(Carola Hoyos)伦敦、乔·约翰逊(Jo Johnson)新德里、霍泽姆·麦钱特(Khozem Merchant)孟买、希拉·麦克纳尔蒂(Sheila McNulty)休斯敦报道。