Torrent to source R-LNG from Ennore

In a small but significant move, IndianOil's under-utilised LNG terminal at Ennore will soon begin supplying R-LNG direct to CGD demand centres in Chennai controlled by Torrent Gas.

On May 15 (2021), IndianOil issued a tender for an 18.35m cm/d capacity 1.7-km underground gas pipeline from the Sectionalising Valve (SV) station at Vallur village on the Ennore to Manali section of its Ennore to Tuticorin R-LNG pipeline to Torrent's city gate station, also in Vallur village. "This is a win-win for both Torrent and IndianOil," says a source.

"IndianOil wanted a customer like Torrent for Ennore, and we wanted an R-LNG supplier like IOC." Located 25-km from Chennai, Torrent will use R-LNG from the 12.5-inch diameter pipeline to feed businesses and up to 3.3m homes in the Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of north Tamil Nadu, committed when it won the area in CGD-IX on April 12 (2018).

Commissioned in 2019, the Ennore to Manali section of the 1175-km Ennore to Tuticorin pipeline already supplies Chennai Petroleum Corporation, Tamil Nadu Petrochemicals, Madras Fertilisers and Manali Petrochemicals. Torrent believes the number of LNG tankers berthing at Ennore will also rise, as more factories and businesses connect to the R-LNG pipeline network.

Since it was commissioned in February 2019, the Ennore LNG terminal has received only 21 cargoes.