NEW DELHI, MAY 3: Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s biggest importer of gas in its liquid form, is mulling shipping LNG from Canada and the US to meet the country’s growing energy needs. “Petronet LNG is exploring the possibility for imports of LNG (liquefied natural gas) from Canada and the US,� Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaaka Lakshmi said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha here today. She, however, did not give details. Petronet had last month signed an initial pact with Houston-based United LNG to buy 4 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per annum for 20 years beginning 2018. The Minister said state-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd has “signed two long-term agreements for import of a total 5.8 million tonnes per annum of LNG from the US�. These include a 3.5 mt a year contract with Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC and another 2.3 mt liquefaction capacity booked in the Cove Point LNG terminal project of Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP, she said. To a separate question, she said at least five LNG import facilities are being considered by various companies on both the east and west coast. Five-million-tonnes-a-year terminals are being planned at Mundra in Gujarat, Gangavaram in Andhra Pradesh and Ennore in Tamil Nadu, she said, adding a similar capacity terminal is being planned in Odisha. A 2-3 mt facility is also being mulled at Mangalore in Karnataka. India has three operational LNG import facilities — a 10 mt unit at Dahej operated by Petronet, a 3.6 mt terminal of Shell-Total at Hazira in Gujarat, and a newly commissioned 5 million tonnes facility at Dahbol in Maharashtra.

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