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Oracle targets power and oil & gas sectors

Software Group Oracle has finalised detailed plans to tap the power and oil and gas markets in India for providing IT solutions.

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According to Oracle's estimates, business potential in these two markets is valued at over $90 million.

Oracle, which has been devising ERP packages since 1988-89, has recently, moved towards specialised applications and energy has been identified as a focus area.

Oracle has already tied up with CESC, Dishergarh Power Company and Surat Electricity Company to provide IT solutions and is now negotiating with the various state electricity boards to provide tailor-made solutions, Oracle Country Manager Shekhar Dasgupta has been quoted as saying.

"We have developed an integrated software package together with Price Waterhouse - Empower - only for the power sector,'' he added.

"In the power sector, there are eight power companies and 22 state electricity boards that are expected to restructure and we hope to get the mandate for devising IT packages for a substantial number of them,'' Dasgupta said.

While the package for Dishergarh Electricity Company is complete, the company is currently working on the package for CESC and Surat Electricity Company.

The work involves structuring a package for improving receivables management, maintenance of equipment, work order monitoring and developing new products.

Worldwide, Oracle has worked on developing IT solution packages for various companies including Enron and Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. Last month, it also got the mandate for developing solutions for the Bangladesh Power Development Board, one of the two electricity boards of Bangladesh, Dasgupta said.

According to him, given the ongoing restructuring process of the state electricity boards at present, there are immense opportunities for developing similar packages for these organisations.

The independent power projects are another area of opportunity, he added.

The company is also targeting the oil and gas and petrochemical majors in the public sector for providing structured packages.

According to Dasgupta, with government allowing restructuring in the oil companies and the imminent abolition of the administered pricing mechanism, there would be immense opportunities in ONGC, IOC, BPCL, GAIL, HPCL and IPCL.

"We provide end-to-end solutions in the energy sector and we hope to finalise some contracts with the oil and gas companies by the second quarter of 1999,'' Dasgupta said.

Worldwide, Oracle has provided vertical solutions for a number of energy companies, including Unocal, Irving and British Petroleum.

Oracle hopes to use the "three-pronged approach'' to devise packages that include developing home-grown packages, acquiring packages and devising packages through strategic partnerships with special companies that have niche abilities.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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