FIRST LNG IN INDIA: DAHEJ A SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE AND A NEW ERA FOR INDIAN GAS MARKET L'ARRIVEE DU GNL EN INDE: DAHEJ UN PARI REUSSI ET UNE NOUVELLE ERE POUR LE MARCHE DU GAZ INDIEN

摘要

Indian market traditionally depended on the domestic sources of gas supply during last three decades. A segregated market development has taken place during this period near the source of gas production. It is during the last one decade when the gas supplies became short of natural gas allocations in the country and Government of India decided to import natural gas through LNG route. The first study to import LNG in the country was carried out with the help of Gaz de France in early nineties to import LNG at the suitable coastal locations in India. Dahej -State of Gujarat, was identified as the preferred location for import of LNG based on the consideration to meet the shortfall of natural gas for the existing market in Gujarat and along HBJ pipeline. Government of India, in July 1997, approved the formation of Petronet LNG Limited with the participation of four large national Oil & Gas Companies viz IOC, ONGC, GAIL, BPCL, Strategic partner (Gaz de France), LNG supplier and public. This was the beginning of a real challenge to develop such a project for the first time in the history of the Indian gas industry.