GAIL successfully pumps RLNG to city
The 438-km Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru pipeline is designed to transport 16 million CUM RLNG per day
GAIL India Ltd. on Sunday pumped the first lot of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) from Kochi to Mangaluru through the 438-km Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru pipeline thereby heralding the green initiative in the coastal region.
Laying of the pipeline was completed last week after GAIL successfully laid the line under the Chandragiri riverbed in Kasargod district of neighbouring Kerala that had posed a great challenge. With hills on both the banks of the river with human habitation, GAIL had initially found it difficult to pass the pipeline crossing the Chandragiri.
The line crossing the Netravathi at Arkula near Mangaluru was completed before the monsoon under challenging conditions.
GAIL’s General Manager in Kochi Tony Mathew told The Hindu that RLNG was successfully pumped to Mangaluru on Sunday evening. RLNG would land at the receiving station of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd. from Monday, he said.
The company would pump 72,000 cubic metres (CUM) of RLNG per day for the first five days and will escalate pumping to 6 lakh CUM, 8 lakh CUM and 1 Million CUM thereafter in a phased manner. Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers would utilise the LNG as stock feed to manufacture fertilizers, to fire its captive power plant and other requirements.
The latest deadline to commission the new line was March this year; it, however, could not be achieved for various reasons, including the COVID-19 situation. The earlier deadline of September 2018 could not be achieved following difficulties in crossing the Chandragiri and the Netravathi riverbeds.
The 111-km pipeline from North Kerala to Mangaluru was laid at an estimated cost of ₹ 160 crore.
Kochi was already reaping the benefits of clean fuel with a majority of autorickshaws and taxis getting converted to use compressed natural gas as alternative fuel. However, city gas distribution in Mangaluru along with supply of CNG as auto fuel could take a little more time as supply pipelines have to be laid across the city.
The Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru RLNG pipeline is designed to transport 16 million CUM per day with Kochi’s demand for 5 million CUM per day and 4 million CUM per day assured demand from industries in Mangaluru.