CNG terminal in Bangalore, LNG terminal in Mangalore on cards

Problems being faced in the setting up of a CNG terminal in Bangalore and an LNG terminal in Mangalore will be addressed, Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily said here today. The Minister said there is some "regulation" of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) vis-a-vis the proposed CNG terminal here. "Petroleum Ministry will sort out that issue", he told reporters here. "We will immediately ask GAIL to provide for CNG, and there are potential to have three or four CNG terminals here. They can start at least one immediately", the Moily said. He noted that GAIL and KSIIDC (Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) have a joint venture for this initiative. Additional equity would be provided to this JV, if required, so that the project can go ahead. Moily also said BPCL, ONGC and the State Government would sign an MoU in the next 15-20 days for setting up an LNG terminal in Mangalore. "We will definitely get petroleum products from Mozambique", he added. In reply to a question, the Minister said the Kochi-Mangalore natural gas pipeline project is facing difficulty because of "land (acquisition) problems". "But we will not wait for that project to be over", he said, adding, the Dabhol-Bangalore gas pipeline network would be branched out at Chitradurga and taken to Mangalore. Baseline survey for this 350-km Chitradurga-Mangalore pipeline project has been completed.