Chhara gas pipeline enhances Gujarat's natural gas availability

Gujarat State Petronet Ltd has launched a new natural gas pipeline connecting the Chhara LNG terminal to the existing gas grid. This pipeline can transport 18 million standard cubic meters of gas per day and cost Rs 650 crore to build. It runs near the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, known for its Asiatic lion population. The pipeline was officially commissioned on March 20. It links the 5 million tonnes per annum LNG import terminal at Chhara in the Gir-Somnath district to the gas network. The liquefied natural gas (LNG) received at this terminal will be transformed back into a gas and supplied to customers like power plants and fertilizer manufacturers. HPCL LNG Limited, a subsidiary of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, operates the Chhara terminal. Construction of the pipeline, which is 36 inches in diameter, was awarded to Ace Pipeline Contracts, a company based in Mumbai, in September 2023. To speed up construction, advanced techniques such as automatic welding were used. This project is part of India's effort to increase the share of natural gas in the energy mix from about 6.2 percent to 15 percent by 2030.