LNG boom to benefit ports in India

To reduce its dependence on traditional and costly fossil fuels, India is looking to set up liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminals in every port. India is taking efforts to cash in on the countryÂ’s efforts to reduce its dependence on traditional and costly fossil fuels and switch to the more efficient, cleaner and ecofriendly option.

India has four LNG re-gasification terminals at Dahej and Hazira in Gujarat and Dabhol in Maharashtra and Kochi in Kerala, all on the countryÂ’s western seaboard. LNG is natural gas cooled to minus 162 degrees celsius. At that temperature, natural gas condenses into liquid, occupying less space, making it easier to transport over long distances.

LNG is loaded onto specialised ships and delivered to re-gasification terminals where it is re-heated, turned into gas and distributed to customers through pipelines.

On the western coast alone, more facilities are being planned at Mundra, Pipavav, Chhara and Nana Layja, all in Gujarat. New facilities are also proposed at Kakinada, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, Ennore, Dhamra, Paradip and Karaikal on the eastern coast. All of these are expected to ramp up capacity to 50 million metric tonne per annum (mmtpa) of LNG from the existing 19.8 million metric tonne.