LNG IMPORT IN INDIA PETRONET LNG LIMITED

摘要

Natural Gas is emerging as the preferred fuel of the future in view of it being an environmental friendly, economically attractive fuel and feedstock. Recognizing this, Government of India has spelt out the objective of encouraging use of gas in India and ensuring adequate availability by mix of a domestic gas, imports through pipelines and import of LNG. As the availability of indigenous natural gas is far lower than the demand, it has become necessary to go in for import of LNG to supplement the domestically produced natural gas. The Hydrocarbon Vision - 2025 has also estimated the demand for natural gas to grow substantially over the coming years. The use of LNG is predominantly for generation of power. Existing installed capacity for Power generation is about 100000 MW. Next ten years the plan is to add 100000 MW within next ten years. To provide needed fuel for this is a great challenge. While use of coal & Hydropower should be maximized for economic reasons, the use of liquid fuel should be discouraged on account of its higher cost and environmental concern. However, natural gas becomes the obvious choice in view of higher efficiencies, lower cost of turbines and concern for environment The timings for developing a LNG import facility are most suitable now for India as the power sector is in urgent need of augmenting the fuel supply and many potential exporters from Oman, Qatar, Australia, and Malaysia etc. are keenly exploring the possibility of supply of LNG to India and China. Also India has strategic advantage because of proximity to Middle Eastern countries as well as ASEAN countries and Australia. Formation of Petronet LNG Limited, with Gaz de France, initially as its strategic partner and subsequently its shareholder and four leading Public Sector Undertakings of India being its promoters is the first step taken in this direction. Thanks to an excellent co-operation between the shareholders of Petronet LNG Limited (PLL), the new LNG chain Qatar-India will provide next year, to the Customer a clean energy source. PLL shall be setting up two LNG receiving terminals on west coast of India In this paper the prospects / challenges of LNG trade in India and the process that has undergone for establishing the first LNG receiving terminal In India are discussed.