PLATTS - Consolidation through the oil and gas sector is heating up, spurred in many cases by too many small companies, lack of operator scale, profits and in the oilfield services segment, an inability to raise prices after the recent downturn, industry executives said

With India's oil demand showing no signs of slowing, which in turn is attracting a lot of multinational firms to set up shop in the country, the government is stepping up efforts to ensure that state-run oil companies are on equal footing to compete, not just with domestic private players but also with global oil firms.