Amid current disruptions to fuel supplies, particularly LPG, the Centre has directed oil refiners to step up cooking gas production and channel the surplus towards domestic use.
In view of current disruptions to fuel supplies, especially liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the Centre has directed oil refiners to ramp up LPG production and divert the surplus to domestic use, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas announced via its official handle @PetroleumMin on X.
“The ministry has prioritised domestic LPG supply to households and introduced a 25-day inter-booking period to avoid hoarding/black marketing. Non-domestic supplies from imported LPG are being prioritised for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions,” the tweet on the microblogging site stated.
A committee comprising three executive directors from oil marketing companies (OMCs) has been formed to review representations for non-household LPG use, including restaurants, hotels, and industrial users.
The disruption follows military strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, which have impacted oil and gas shipments from West Asian oilfields to several parts of the world, including India. On Monday, Brent crude traded at $107.80 per barrel, while natural gas prices hovered near $6.20 per MMBtu, reflecting heightened volatility.
India sources about half of its natural gas requirements from West Asia, with Qatar being the dominant supplier at nearly 45 per cent, followed by the UAE at around 12 per cent, and Oman at about 8 per cent.
Last week, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, assured that India has sufficient energy reserves to manage the situation.
India is the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China. In FY2024-25, the country met 88.2 per cent of its crude oil and 50.8 per cent of its natural gas demand through imports.