PLLs Puthuvype plant to get LNG from Australia

KOCHI: Petronet LNG Limited (PLL) would strike a deal to source liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Australia  for its soon to be commissioned LNG re-gasification plant in Puthuvype.According to sources, about 1.5 million tonnes of LNG would be purchased from the Gorgon gas fields in Australia from 2015, and the same will be sold to the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Besides, there will also be a short-term arrangement for sourcing LNG to the terminal which is expected to be functional by July 2012.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Friday, said that country’s current yearly import capacity of 14 million tonnes is  set to increase to 20 million tonnes by 2012-13 with the setting up of new re-gasification terminals at Kochi and Dhabol.On the delay in terminal commissioning, PLL Managing Director A K Balyan, while addressing media in Kochi early this month, had said that the decision to double the terminal’s capacity was a reason for the delay. “Initially, the plan was to produce 2.5 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum (MMPTA). Later, a  decision was taken to raise it by another  2.5 MMTPA. There are strict safety requirements and both have to be commissioned simultaneously,” Balyan had said.The terminal at Kochi is expected to feed the country’s rapidly growing demand for natural gas for Power, fertilizers, petrochemicals and various other industries in the southern states. The company will also supply LNG by road tankers to consumers.