India faces China, Korea in race for Myanmar gas

 Myanmar is looking for a buyer who would pay the maximum price for the gas found in Block A-1 and in adjacent A-3 block. ONGC Videsh and GAIL hold 30% stake in both the blocks.
    
While India, China and Thailand have proposed to lay pipelines to their respective countries for transporting gas from the Shwe gas field in Bay of Bengal, South Korea has proposed to liquefy it and transport it in the form of Liquefied natural gas (LNG), industry sources said.

 New Delhi has proposed to lay a 1,400-km India-Myanmar pipeline originating from Sittwe (Akyab) in Myanmar and entering India through Mizoram, pass through Aizawl, Dispur and Guwahati in Assam and Shiliguri in West Bengal to join the Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline at Gaya in Bihar.

 China has proposed a 2,380-km pipeline originating from Kyaukphyu in Myanmar and terminating at Ruili in China's Yunan province after passing through Pagun Tuywintanuag and Mandalay.

 Sources said the Indian offer looks better than the Chinese offer as the length of the pipeline in Myanmarfor transporting gas to the Indian border would be just 250-km while to do the same to China would require a 1,000-km line.