NE gas pipeline connecting Guwahati to Numaligarh partially commissioned

The section has also been connected to Numaligarh Refinery, which enables it to access natural gas through the grid, PNGRB said

The North East natural gas pipeline grid (NEGG) has been partially commissioned, connecting the 396-kilometre Guwahati to Numaligarh section, the Petroleum Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) announced.

 

The section has also been connected to Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), which enables the refinery to access natural gas through the grid, marking the first operational interface of the pipeline with a major industrial consumer, the regulator said. 

NEGG is being developed by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), a joint venture between Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), ONGC, Gail (India), Oil India Ltd (OIL) and NRL. It was authorised in November 2020 to connect the eight states of North East with piped natural gas and to source gas from the gas fields that were not connected with the markets. 

“The NEGG project was conceived under the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for North East India with the objective of creating an integrated natural gas pipeline network to meet the growing energy needs of the region,” said PNGRB. 

The total authorised length of the pipeline grid is 1,688 km, including 196 km of spur and feeder lines. NEGG has been designed for a transportation capacity of 4.75 million metric standard cubic metre per day (MMSCMD) and is planned for full commissioning by March 31, 2026.

 

Post full commissioning, NEGG would establish connectivity between natural gas sources and consumption centres across eight states namely Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Sikkim.

 

The network is expected to enable the evacuation and utilisation of gas from fields that have remained underutilised and facilitate its supply to regional markets as well as consumers located in other parts of the country.

 

NEGG will provide pipeline connectivity to 10 geographical areas (GAs), which will support the expansion of city gas distribution (CGD) networks. CGD entities operating in these GAs have committed to develop 23.40 lakh PNG connections and set up 951 CNG stations.

 

PNGRB said the commissioning of the pipeline infrastructure would result in several commercial and economic benefits for the region including reliable access to natural gas and lower energy costs for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers. The Indian government aims to increase the share of natural gas to 15 per cent by 2030, as compared to the current 6 per cent.