Petronet considering LNG imports from US, Canada

It had last month signed an initial pact with United LNG to buy 4 mn tonne of LNG per annum for 20 yrs beginning 2018

 

 

Petronet LNG Ltd, India's biggest importer of gas in its liquid form, is mulling shipping LNG from Canada and USA to meet the country's growing energy needs.

"Petronet LNG is exploring the possibility for imports of LNG (liquefied natural gas) from Canada and USA," Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaaka Lakshmi said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha here today.

She, however, did not give details.

Petronet had last month signed an initial pact with Houston-based United LNG to buy 4 million tonnes (MT) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per annum for 20 years beginning 2018.

The Minister said state-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd has "signed two long term agreements for import of a total 5.8 million tonnes per annum of LNG from USA".

These include a 3.5 MT a year contract with Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC and another 2.3 MT liquefaction capacity booked in the Cove Point LNG terminal project of Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP, she said.

To a separate question, she said at least five LNG import facilities are being considered by various companies on both east and west coast.

Five million tonnes a year capacity terminal are being planned at Mundra in Gujarat, Gangavaram in Andhra Pradesh and Ennore in Tamil Nadu, she said adding similar capacity terminal is also planned in Odisha. A 2-3 MT facility is also being mulled at Mangalore in Karnataka.

India has three operational LNG import facilities — a 10 MT unit at Dahej operated by Petronet, a 3.6 MT terminal of Shell-Total at Hazira in Gujarat, and a newly commissioned 5 million tonnes facility at Dahbol in Maharashtra.