Reliance talking to oil majors on D6 block - sources

By Hiral Vora

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's biggest listed firm Reliance Industries Ltd is in talks with several oil majors to sell up to 10 percent in its deep-water D6 block off India's east coast, two company sources said on Thursday.

Earlier, Royal Dutch Shell told Reuters in Paris it was in talks with Reliance Industries about taking a stake in its D6 gas block in the Krishna Godavari basin.

The two sources, who did not wish to be identified, said ExxonMobil, Chevron Corp, BP had also shown interest in the deal.

"The process has been going on since last two to three weeks and officials from many oil majors have seen the geological data," one of the sources said.

Reliance Industries owns 90 percent in the block, with Canadian oil firm Niko Resources as a 10 percent partner.

Goldman Sachs is advising Reliance Industries in the talks, a third company source said.

Paresh Chaudhry, group president for corporate communications at Reliance Industries, said the company had been working with banks across all its businesses.

"We are looking at various alternatives to create additional shareholder value, however at this stage there is no specific transaction in sight," Chaudhry said.