HPCL commissions ₹4,750 cr. LNG Regasification Terminal in Gujarat

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) has commissioned a 5-million tonne liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Chhara, Gujarat.

LNG carrier Maran Gas Coronis berthed at the terminal on January 6 and discharged the commissioning cargo into the onshore tanks on January 12. The auxiliary units at the terminal are in advanced stages of commissioning and will be operational shortly. The terminal represents an investment of around ₹4,750 crore by subsidiary HPLNG, HPCL said on Monday.

Equipped with facilities for receipt, marine unloading, storage, road tanker loading, regasification and supply of regasified LNG to the national gas grid, the terminal will initially have a regasification capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum – expandable to 10 MT – and a gross storage capacity of 4,00,000 cubic meters in two tanks. It will operate on a tolling model, allowing third-party users to access its services through long-term capacity booking contracts and master regasification agreements for spot cargoes, HPCL said.

It said the terminal will be crucial to achieving the Government of India’s vision of increasing the share of natural gas in the country’s energy basket to 15% by 2030 – from the existing around 7%.