Six Indian energy firms in Platts’ top 50 global rankings

New Delhi: Indian firms have pride of place at the 2012 Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company RankingsTM.

Of the 12 Indian companies represented in the 250, six are have also made to the list of top 50 fastest growing companies.

All eyes were on China, India and the wider Asia-Pacific region when it came to rapid financial growth and fast rising energy companies. A statement said that 70 companies from the region were in the spotlight when the 2012 Platts 250 Global Energy Companies Rankings were released in Singapore on Tuesday.

According to Platts, Cairn India took the top slot as the fastest-growing company not just in Asia but the world. With a 119.8 per cent three-year compounded growth rate (CGR), Cairn India was far ahead in the field.

The 2012 rankings reflect fiscal 2011 financial performance in four key areas: asset worth, revenues, profits and return on invested capital (ROIC).

Indian companies surged ahead in both the independent power producers (IPP) and gas utility categories, with NTPC Ltd and GAIL (India) topping their respective regional segments, Platts ranking showed.

A surprise entry at number two in ROIC rankings was Coal India Ltd with 35.3 per cent, it said. A new entrant to the rankings in 2010, when the company listed, Coal India has posted strong returns on invested capital in both years, an achievement given the challenges it faces, Platts said

China continues to grow in the energy business with 23 Chinese companies on the 2012 roster, giving it more companies in the Top 250 than any other country, except the US.

PetroChina Company Ltd took over the 9th position and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp acquired the 12th position in the global Top 250 list.

However, in an East-West comparison, Western majors still reign the rankings. Western companies took all top 10 spots on the 2012 list, except for one – ninth place – which went to PetroChina Co Ltd.

ExxonMobil retained the number one spot of the Top 250 roster for the eighth consecutive year. Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell moved up from sixth position to second, displacing US major Chevron to third. ConocoPhillips dropped one place from seventh to eighth.

Of all the Indian companies in the top 250, Power Grid Corp improved its overall ranking, rising from 232 {+n} {+d} in 2010 to 172 {+n} {+d} in 2011. Other significant moves include a rise of 21 places for power producer NHPC Ltd to 195 {+t} {+h} {+.}

Among electric utilities, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd gained 17 places to 215 {+t} {+h}.

“India’s enormous growth in energy demand has led to its rise as the emerging energy leader on the global front,” said Vandana Hari, Asia Editorial Director, Platts. “Although these represent the bright spots for financial performance in 2011, 2012 may prove more challenging for India’s power generators,” she added. richa.mishra