India: Centre Plans LNG Fuelling Stations along Golden Quadrilateral

The Central government is planning a network of liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelling stations along its 6,000 km long golden quadrilateral highway. About 350 LNG fuelling stations, at a cost of Rs 3,000–3,500 crore, will be needed to cover the full length of the golden quadrilateral, as per the initial plan.

Regulations permit only those with city gas distribution licences to set up LNG stations, and therefore, various licence holders will build fuelling stations in specific stretches of the expressway that fall in their respective licence areas. GAIL (India) is planning to build about 90 LNG stations.

The Indian Oil Corporation, which has obtained several licences in recent years, too, plans to build LNG stations in its areas. GAIL (India) is also in talks with ExxonMobil and Mitsui, which can potentially partner as LNG suppliers as well as financiers for the initial lot of LNG trucks planned to hit Indian roads. The plan is to get at least 10,000 LNG trucks, most of which will be initially imported.