Oil and gas regulator PNGRB has hired global consultancy ICF to carry out an assessment of India’s natural gas demand and the infrastructure needed to unleash the country’s massive pent-up requirement, its Chairman Dinesh K Sarraf said. Natural gas — which has far lower emissions compared to alternate liquid fuels such as petrol and diesel used in automobiles and naphtha and coal burned in factories — makes up for just 6.2 per cent of all forms of energy consumed in the country. This compares to a global average of 24 per cent.
One reason for the low use of the environment-friendly fuel is inadequate domestic gas production and the lack of infrastructure, particularly pipelines to carry the fuel to end users. “We have engaged ICF to do a comprehensive assessment of demand and infrastructure needed,” Sarraf said, adding the report is expected by mid-2020.
India is targeting 15 per cent share of natural gas in the energy basket by 2030.
