[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The inordinate delay in completion of gas pipelines in Kerala might have prompted Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) to depend on trucks to move gas to its customers. BPCL has also adopted a similar initiative to deliver LNG to an industrial customer in Chennai from the PLL facility in Kochi.
BPCL dispatched its first truck-load of LNG supplies from the PLL terminal in the second week of March, to Turbo Energy located at Payyannur near Kanchipuram.
BPCL has a success story of ‘LNG by Road Initiative’ from its Dahej plant, wherein the company has already completed delivery of more than 5,000 truck-loads of gas.
“The initiative in Kerala will be a new beginning of BPCL in the Southern region, and another 3-4 companies have already approached us for gas supply in a similar way,” BPCL officials said.
Industry sources here pointed out that BPCL has brought around 400 MMbTU of LNG sourced from Australia by spot purchase and unloaded the consignment at the storage facility offered by PLL in Kochi.
Following the success of delivering gas to HLL in Thiruvananthapuram by road, PLL has been receiving good customer enquiries both from Kerala and outside.
More companies have evinced interest in taking gas by trucks, and discussions are already on to finalise the tendering process with these companies, including a State-owned public sector, PLL officials said.
The laying of pipelines by GAIL in the Kochi-Mengaluru stretch is fast progressing, and officials expressed hope that the pipelines will be ready by December 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
