Doha-based LNG company Qatargas announced it has supplied a commissioning LNG cargo for India’s newest LNG receiving terminal, Mundra, located on the west coast of India. The cargo was loaded in Ras Laffan, on 17 January, and arrived at Mundra terminal on 22 January.
The cargo was loaded on the Q-Flex LNG vessel ‘Murwab’, with an overall cargo carrying capacity of 216,000 cubic meters.
The news follows an earlier commissioning cargo delivered to the Ennore LNG receiving terminal, near the southern Indian city of Chennai, in February 2019.
Mundra is the second LNG terminal that Qatargas helped commission in India within 2019. The terminal is located in Adani Ports and Special Economic zone in the Kutch district of the 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 metres and 260,000 cubic metres.
In addition, it comprises of two storage tanks –each with an overall capacity of 160,000 cubic metres.
Qatargas has established a strong partnership with India since July 1999 when it started supplying LNG to Petronet.
Since then, it has delivered over 2,000 cargoes under its sales and purchase agreements.
Upcoming developments, such as new terminals and other gas-related infrastructure, are expected to increase India’s capacity to import LNG from 30 Mtpa to 44 Mtpa – a 46% increase as India continues to make strides in achieving its ambitious target of 15% gas in the energy mix.
Currently, India imports 8.5 million tonnes of LNG annually under long-term supply deals with Qatar.
Earlier in January, Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he wants to renegotiate the long-term contract price of LNG it buys from Qatar.
