Coming soon: natural gas pipeline from Ennore to Kondapalli

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has set in motion the process for developing a natural gas pipeline from Ennore LNG Terminal in Tamil Nadu to Kondapalli, Andhra Pradesh.

The facility is being mooted with an eye on meeting the requirement of natural gas in the two States, the regulator said, initiating a suomotu proposal earlier this month. It estimated the length of the proposed pipeline from Ennore – Nellore – Ongole – Guntur – Amravati – Kondapalli to be around 450 km.

The minimum system capacity, including common carrier capacity, will be 5 MMSCMD, PNGRB said, announcing the commencement of the public consultation process.

Setting the backdrop for the proposed pipeline is Andhra Pradesh government’s emphasis on industrial development in the region. Assured natural gas availability is bound to spur setting up of industrial units besides serving as the backbone for the City Gas Distribution or piped natural gas supplies to households as well as CNG stations for automobiles.

IndianOil LNG, the joint venture of the State-owned Indian Oil Corporation behind the Ennore LNG import terminal located inside the Kamarajar Port, near Chennai, had in November 2023 announced plans to double the capacity of the facility to 10 million tonnes per annum with an investment of more than ₹3,000 crore.