LNG terminal capacity to be more than doubled by DEC 2009

New Delhi, May 13 (UNI) The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has chalked out a long term plan of more than doubling the capacity of its Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal from 7.5 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) to 20 MMTPA by December 2009.

According to official sources, presently only two LNG terminals a 5 MMTPA of Petronet LNG Limited (PLL) at Dahej in Gujarat and a 2.5 MMTPA of Shell at Hazira are in operation in the country.

The additions include the commissioning of the erstwhile 5 MMTPA Dabhol LNG terminal which is now known as Ratnagiri LNG in Maharashtra, which is expected to be in operation by April next year.

PLL will be expanding its capacity from 5 to 10 MMTPA. A 2.5 MMTPA LNG terminal at Konchi in Kerala is likely to be commissioned in the last quarter of 2009, the sources said.

Apart from this, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil and natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) also have plans to set up LNG terminals at Ennore in Tamilnadu and Mangalore in Karnataka respectively.

The Government in order to meet the existing shortfall and projected demand of natural gas in the country has placed the import of natural gas in the form of LNG under Open General Licence (OGL) list with hundred per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with the object of encouraging its import in the country to fill the demand supply gap.

UNI/BKS PV VC1955