PNGRB clears Indian Oil's 425-km Kochi-Thoothukudi gas pipeline to boost southern supply

New Delhi: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has granted authorisation to state-owned Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to lay the Kochi-Kanyakumari-Thoothukudi natural gas pipeline, following a competitive bidding process, the regulator said.

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The proposed pipeline will run about 425 km from the Kochi LNG terminal in Kerala to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 6.84 million standard cubic metres per day, including common carrier capacity.

The project is aimed at strengthening gas transmission infrastructure in southern India by enabling evacuation of regasified LNG from Kochi to demand centres across Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu, PNGRB said in a statement.

The pipeline is expected to support the expansion of city gas distribution networks and supply fuel to industrial units, power plants and other downstream sectors, while improving regional energy access and reliability.

The regulator said the project would also aid integration with the national gas grid and support India's push to raise the share of natural gas in its energy mix as part of broader efforts to cut carbon emissions.

"The authorisation of the KTPL pipeline represents a significant step towards strengthening the natural gas transmission infrastructure in southern India. The pipeline will facilitate the efficient evacuation and transportation of regasified LNG from the Kochi LNG Terminal to key demand centres across Kerala and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

"The project is expected to play an important role in enabling the expansion of City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks, as well as supplying natural gas to industrial consumers, power plants and other downstream sectors in the region," it said.

The development of this pipeline is expected to provide several strategic and economic benefits, including enhancement of natural gas availability in Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu, thereby improving energy accessibility in the region. It will also strengthen regional gas infrastructure and improved integration with the national gas grid.

It will facilitate CGD expansion, enabling increased supply of piped natural gas and CNG to households, commercial establishments and the transport sector.

"The authorisation follows a competitive bidding process undertaken by PNGRB in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework. After evaluation of the technical and financial bids received, IOC emerged as the successful bidder for the project," it said.

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"The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board remains committed to facilitating the development of robust natural gas infrastructure across the country and to promoting the creation of an integrated and resilient national gas grid, which is essential for ensuring sustainable economic growth and advancing India's transition towards a cleaner energy future."

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