National:
Three regulating stations on cards for gas network in Goa
Panaji: Goa Natural Gas Pvt Ltd plans to set up three district regulating stations and even CNG stations in Panaji, Guirim and Ponda, the government-owned agency said.
The agency has decided lease plots from landowners on long-term basis (at least five years) to install pressure reduction stations that are critical for the city gas distribution network for North Goa.
In a piped gas distribution system, natural gas is pumped at high pressure to district regulating stations. Before the gas is supplied to domestic or industrial users through low-pressure medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) pipelines, the pressure has to be reduced and controlled through pressure reduction skids or stations located along the pipeline system.
Goa Natural Gas is looking for land along NH66 between Hira petrol pump and Goa Medical College, along NH 748 between Ribandar and Merces and along the old highway in Santa Cruz, and in Mala.
“One station will come up in Panaji and depending on the lowest bid, we will pick a spot out of these four locations. We also want one location in Guirim and one around Kundaim circle,” said an official. Goa Natural Gas is a joint venture of GAIL Gas Limited and BPCL. The company is responsible for the city gas distribution network in North Goa and Ponda.
Work on the city gas network remains slow as the company was unable to lay any pipelines during the monsoons. Goa has imposed a ban on digging during the monsoons. The company is now focusing on the installation of metered gas connections at homes and laying of pipelines within residential complexes.
While the Kundaim to Ponda pipeline is still being set up, the agency plans to supply natural gas through gas cascades.