Adani targets December for Dhamra tenders
Adani Energy's proposed 5m t/y Dhamra LNG project in Orissa looks like it might happen, despite competition from other similar projects on the east coast.
But only if you believe the company's ambitious claim it wants to release EPC tenders by December 2015. "We want to begin construction by March next year and complete the project within 36-40 months," stresses an Adani source.
Dhamra joins several proposed LNG import projects on the east coast, some of them pure fantasy. Take your pick: IndianOil at Ennore, KEI-RSOS at Krishnapatnam, Shell, GAIL and GdF at Kakinada, Petronet-LNG at Gangavaram project, not to mention H-Energy's project at Haldia.
No one can predict how many will materialise. Yet Adani is confident of Dhamra's prospects, encouraged by IOC and GAIL's decision in May to sign MoUs to join the Rs5000cr ($800m) project.
Adani adds GAIL has booked 2m t/y and IOC has taken 3m t/y of regasification capacity. "Our Phase-I capacity is booked," he says.
"Discussions will now begin to convert the MoUs into 15-year agreements." IOC confirms it has booked capacity at Dhamra but not how much. "We need at least 3m t/y for our refineries at Paradip and Haldia," says a source, "more if we add some petrochemical units (at Paradip)." GAIL declined to comment.
Adani is preparing a Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) in-house for Dhamra and says it will appoint a PMC within two months.
