Gas distribution firm bags project

Hyderabad: The AP Gas Distribution Corporation has bagged a Rs 800-crore natural gas pipeline project, from Kakinada to Srikakulam, a length of 300 kilometres.

On completion, the gas pipeline will supply naphtha gas to power plants in AP and will also be useful for setting up city gas distribution networks in Vizag, Vizia-nagaram and other north Andhra towns.

The Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) will also be fed by the pipeline.

APGDC director (commercial), Mr Kap-il K. Jain told this newspaper that the corporation, a joint venture company of AP Gas Infrastructure Corporation and GAIL, had won the bid for the pipeline from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regu-latory Board. “The gas supplied will be clean fuel. Not only power plants, but also the PCPIR will get feed from this. This will result in employment generation. Like in Hyderabad, automobiles can be supplied with CNG,” said Mr Jain. He added that this cross-country pipeline would be connected to the existing grid and the source would be RLNG and HPCL refinery.

“It will take three years to complete the project. Designing, land acquisition and others works will go on. Physical work of laying the pipeline will begin in a year,” said Mr Jain.

APGDC said that it has also filed bids for an Ennore-Nellore pipeline, which is another mega project and the bids were yet to be opened.

Mr Jain said, “We are waiting for certain clearance for the offshore project of Floating Storage and Regasification unit at Kakinada. It is a Rs 1500-crore project situated two to three kilometers offshore. When gas is transported on ships, it comes as Liquefied Natural Gas and it has to be converted into gas form. This unit does that.”