India's natural gas output to grow over 60% in FY10

India's natural gas production is expected to grow by over 60 per cent in the current fiscal on the back of higher output from Reliance Industries' eastern offshore KG basin block, an economic think-tank has said.    

"In 2009-10, we expect domestic natural gas output to grow by a robust 60.5 per cent to 52,239 million cubic metres (mcm)," the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) said in its April review.    

"This is largely because of commencement of natural gas production from Reliance Industries' (RIL) Krishna Godavari basin," the CMIE said.  

Cumulative domestic natural gas production during April-February 2008-09 was 30,019 million cubic metres, it said.  

"For the same period, demand stood at 34,062 mcm. In 2008-09, natural gas output is expected to grow by a meagre 0.8 per cent to 32,529 mcm," CMIE said.    

Mukesh Ambani-led RIL began production from its prolific D6 block on April 1 and currently produces 13 million standard cubic metre per day (mmscmd) of gas.    

The initial 15.3 mmscmd output has already been committed to urea-making plants and volumes above this would go to gas-based power plants.  

"This will help to meet the fast growing demand for natural gas in the country, especially from the fertiliser and power sectors," the CMIE said.