GAIL India Limited has successfully pumped the first lot of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) from Kochi to Mangaluru through the 438-km Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru pipeline on November 22, 2020. GAIL has decided to pump 72,000 cubic metres of RLNG per day for the initial five days. It will subsequently escalate pumping to 600,000 cubic metres, 800,000 cubic metres and 1 million cubic metres (mcm) in a phased manner.
The Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru RLNG pipeline has been designed to transport 16 mcm per day. The LNG would be used by Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers as stock feed to manufacture fertilisers, for its captive power plant and other requirements.
The laying of the pipeline was completed as GAIL laid the line under the Chandragiri riverbed in Kasargod district. GAIL is also planning to complete the first leg of the 620-km long Kochi-Bengaluru gas pipeline by January 2021. The works on the 95-km leg, which begins from Kuttanad in Palakkad and extends up to Valayar, are currently ongoing.