Team News Riveting
New Delhi, November 19
Indian firms were likely to spend Rs 10,000 crore in next three years on 1,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals to come up along main roads, industrial hubs and in the mining areas of the country to cut the fossil fuel consumption.
“LNG is going to be the fuel of the future for transport, and in this regard, retro-fitting of the vehicles as well as development by original equipment manufacturers is being undertaken,” Petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at a foundation-laying ceremony for 50 LNG stations today.
The fifty LNG stations would be set up and commissioned in partnership by country’s Oil and Gas majors such as IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, GAIL, PLL, Gujarat Gas and their Joint Venture Companies and subsidiaries. Out of these 50 LNG stations, IOCL will set up 20 LNG Stations, while BPCL and HPCL will set up 11 each LNG station.
The government would set up LNG stations at the distance of 200-300 km on golden quadrilateral, and within 3 years, they would have 1000 LNG stations on all major roads, industrial hubs and mining areas. He expressed confidence that 10 per cent of the trucks will adopt LNG as fuel, the petroleum and natural gas minister added.
Pradhan said that a well-thought strategy was being implemented to take the country towards the gas-based economy.
The minister added even if the LNG vehicle segment achieves 10 per cent market share in a fleet of 10 million trucks, it would have a positive impact on reducing emissions and substituting crude.
He said LNG was not only almost 40 per cent cheaper than diesel but also caused very less pollution. The use of LNG in heavy vehicles would not only cut the fuel costs but also help contain inflation. The minister urged the automobile makers to look at producing LNG-compatible vehicles.
Pradhan said the government would continue to promote CNG vehicles, Electric vehicles, Auto-LPG, but at the same time, LNG as long-haul fuel would be pushed.
He said the companies would set up LNG fuelling stations along a 6,000-km network of highways linking the four main metropolitan areas. The transport sector could utilise up to 25 million cubic meters a day equivalent LNG in the initial phase, the minister added.
