GAIL inks deal to import LNG from Vitol

New Delhi: State-owned gas major Gail (India) Ltd on Friday said it signed a deal to buy about 1 million tonne per annum of liquefied natural gas or LNG from Dutch energy trader Vitol for 10 years starting 2026. LNG is natural gas, extracted from below surface that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport.

“Under this deal, Vitol will deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its global LNG portfolio to Gail in India on a pan-India basis. Vitol Asia Pte Ltd has signed a long-term LNG deal, but did not give pricing and other commercial details,” the company said in a statement.

Gail will import LNG in cryogenic ships and turn it back into its gaseous state before piping it to users that may include power plants for generating electricity, fertiliser units for producing crop nutrients or city gas operators for selling to automobiles as CNG or piping to household kitchens for cooking.

India imports roughly half of its gas needs as local production is insufficient to meet demand. “This long-term LNG deal with Vitol will augment Gail’s large LNG portfolio and will contribute to bridging India's demand and supply gap for natural gas,” GAIL chairman and managing director Sandeep Kumar Gupta said.

“We are pleased to build on the existing relationship between Vitol and GAIL and to conclude this long-term LNG supply deal together. India is a significant and growing LNG market and we are excited to bring LNG supply from our global LNG portfolio to meet this rising natural gas demand,” Vitol CEO Russell Hardy said.