Bangalore gas demand might reach 60m cm/d
GAIL estimates that Bangalore in southern India will need at least 20m cm/d gas supplies by 2013, possibly more.
Bangalore, the thriving capital of Karnataka and a global IT outsourcing hub, currently receives no gas supplies at all. To change that, GAIL hopes to connect Bangalore by 2013 with the upcoming Dabhol LNG terminal in Maharashtra, through a proposed 1389-km gas supply pipeline.
One of the largest customers in Bangalore for gas could be Karnataka Power Corporation’s proposed 2100-MW electricity station at Bidadi, predicts GAIL. The proposed Bidadi electricity station alone can consume up to 10m cm/d gas, we hear.
Another 10m cm/d demand could come from other industries in and around Bangalore. “Some gas can also be sold as CNG to vehicles or piped gas to households,†we are told.
Several independent power producers with plans to set up gas-based electricity stations have also approached GAIL seeking gas supply commitments. “If you include the projected gas demand of those projects,†we hear, “then we could be looking at demand of up to 60m cm/d.
†But GAIL is sceptical about these proposals and prefers to stick to its conservative 20m cm/d demand estimate. GAIL’s proposed pipeline to Bangalore from Dabhol will have a 30-inch diameter â€کtrunk’ (main) line and spur lines with 18, 10 and eight-inch diameters.
GAIL will lay the pipeline in two phases: Phase-I will see a 402-km stretch from Dabhol to Gokak in Karnataka by 2011-2012, with a spur line from Gokak to Goa and another to Belgaum. In Phase-II, GAIL will lay a 570-km pipeline from Gokak to Bangalore by early 2012-2013.
This phase will see 417-km of spur and feeder lines of varying diameters up to Tumkur, which is 50-km from Bangalore, and which should be completed by early 2013-2014.