Qatargas Delivers LNG Cargo to Indian Terminal
Doha-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Qatargas has supplied a commissioning LNG cargo for India's newest LNG receiving terminal, Mundra.
The cargo was loaded in Ras Laffan on 17 January 2020 on the Q-Flex LNG vessel, Murwab, with an overall cargo carrying capacity of 216,000 cubic meters. It arrived at Mundra terminal on 22 January 2020.
Mundra is the second LNG terminal that Qatargas helped commission in India within the past year. It followed an earlier commissioning cargo which was delivered by the Company to the Ennore LNG receiving terminal, near the southern Indian city of Chennai, in February 2019.
The Mundra terminal is located in Adani Ports and Special Economic zone in the Kutch district of the western Indian state of Gujarat. The terminal's nominal capacity is five million tonnes of LNG per annum (Mtpa), and it can receive vessels with a capacity between 75,000 cubic meters and 260,000 cubic meters. The terminal comprises of two storage tanks – each with an overall capacity of 160,000 cubic meters.
Qatargas has established a strong partnership with India since July 1999 when it started supplying LNG to Petronet. Since then it has delivered over 2000 cargoes under its various long-term sales and purchase agreements as well as supplying significant volumes into the short term and spot markets.
India is a key market for Qatargas given its geographical proximity and growth potential. Upcoming developments such as new terminals and other gas related infrastructure will increase India's capacity to import LNG from 30 Mtpa to 44 Mtpa – a 46 per cent increase as India continues to make strides in achieving its ambitious target of 15 per cent gas in the energy mix.