India’s Gujarat State Petronet has commissioned a natural gas pipeline connecting the Chhara LNG terminal to the gas grid, reported Energyworld.
The pipeline, costing Rs6.5bn ($75.5m), runs close to the Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary, home to Asiatic lions.
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The pipeline has a capacity of 18 million standard cubic metres per day and connects the newly established five million tonnes per annum (mtpa) liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Chhara in the Gir-Somnath district with the gas grid.
The pipeline was developed by Gujarat State Petronet to enhance natural gas availability in line with India’s energy mix goals.
A unit of state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) has set up the facility to import LNG at Chhara.
The LNG imported at the terminal is regasified and transported through pipelines to customers including power plants and fertiliser units.
The Chhara terminal is operated by HPCL LNG, a subsidiary of HPCL.
“The work for engineering, procurement and construction of the 36-inch dia pipeline from HPCL LNG terminal at Chhara in Gir-Somnath district up to Lothpur in Amreli district of Gujarat, including despatch terminal at Chhara LNG terminal, valve stations and receiving terminal at Lothpur, was entrusted to the Mumbai-based construction company, Ace Pipeline Contracts, in September 2023,” the statement said.
“To cut down on the construction schedule, construction techniques such as automatic welding for welding of the 36-inch dia pipeline were deployed on the project.”
India also recently passed the Oilfield (Regulatory and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024, a reform aimed at attracting investment and boosting oil and gas exploration in the country.
The bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, on 3 December 2024. It supports the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat, aiming to transform India by 2047.
This bill addresses changing market conditions and the need for a legal framework that meets the current needs of the industry.
