Message-ID: <19322179.1075848088167.JavaMail.evans@thyme>
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000 23:19:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: jeffrey.sherrick@enron.com
To: john.ambler@enron.com, larry.morse@enron.com, mike.stewart@enron.com, 
	sanjay.bhatnagar@enron.com, michael.smalling@enron.com, 
	stephen.wallace@enron.com, wade.cline@enron.com, 
	rick.phillips@enron.com
Subject: Arbitration with Reliance and ONGC
Cc: rob.walls@enron.com, james.derrick@enron.com, steven.kean@enron.com, 
	joseph.sutton@enron.com, pam.benson@enron.com, 
	christina.grow@enron.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Bcc: rob.walls@enron.com, james.derrick@enron.com, steven.kean@enron.com, 
	joseph.sutton@enron.com, pam.benson@enron.com, 
	christina.grow@enron.com
X-From: Jeffrey Sherrick
X-To: John Ambler, Larry Morse, Mike Stewart, Sanjay Bhatnagar, Michael J Smalling, Stephen Wallace, Wade Cline, Rick Phillips
X-cc: Rob Walls, James Derrick, Steven J Kean, Joseph W Sutton, Pam Benson, Christina Grow
X-bcc: 
X-Folder: \Steven_Kean_June2001_4\Notes Folders\Discussion threads
X-Origin: KEAN-S
X-FileName: skean.nsf

I was in India last week meeting with partners and we all agreed that the 
best thing to do to move ahead regarding the old unrecovered cash calls 
("joint interest billings") was to file an arbitration proceeding and get an 
objective  third party to settle the issue.  As you know, Reliance and ONGC 
owe EOGIL approximately  $7.1 and $10.3 million, respectively (including 
interest on non-payment).  The arbitration notices reflected only the 
non-payment numbers which are $5.8 and $7.3 million for RIL and ONGC 
respectively.   We finalized the drafting and dated the notices on July 29th 
and we delivered the official notice during business hours Monday July 31, 
2000.  This was the final step in a very long effort to resolve this issue in 
other means, but as I noted to the OOC after the June meetings this was the 
only solution in the end.   While nobody likes to file arbitration, the good 
news is in the end all parties seen this as the only solution and as best as 
I can tell, at least internally ONGC and Reliance support this decision.  If 
the issue gets external, I don't know how any of the parties will respond.  
Our goal is to keep it as low keyed as possible, but this is India and I 
would expect someone to try to make a big issue out of it.

I will be in contact with John Ambler today to discuss the details of the 
submittal and to prepare for any response to the media that may be 
necessary.  While both parties were expecting the notice, it may leak into 
the media over the next few days.  Please defer any questions or comments to 
either John Ambler, Larry Morse or myself regarding this issue.  Until John 
advises us otherwise, our comment will be as follows;

" The parties (ONGC, Reliance and Enron Oil and Gas India Limited) have had a 
dispute on certain cost items and together we have agreed it is best for the 
joint venture to have this dispute resolved by an independent third party 
using the guidelines as set forth in the Joint Operating Agreement."

Mike Smalling in our office will coordinate this matter with John Ambler and 
the appropriate staff.   I will be available to respond if necessary and my 
contact numbers are as follows;

office-713-853-5934
pager 888-493-1770
cell 713-569-4713
home 281-320-2198

Larry, please make sure our office understands that only you are to comment 
on this and any other official E&P business in India and Wade/Sanjay would 
you share this note with the appropriate people in your office so nobody is 
surprised if something comes up.  Mike Smalling, John and/or I will keep you 
informed of any  relevant events.

jeff