(a) the quantity and the countries from which the gas was imported during each of the last three years, country-wise;
(b) whether the Government has proposal to import gas in 2005-06 and in subsequent years; and
(c) if so the details alongwith the countries from which it is proposed to be imported?
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS & PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a) to (c): The import of natural gas in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has started only from the current financial year with 2.5 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) of LNG being imported from Qatar by M/s Petronet LNG Limited (PLL) during 2004-05. During the year 2005-06, besides the import of 5 MMTPA of LNG by M/s PLL from Qatar, M/s Shell is projected to start importing LNG for its 2.5 MMTPA LNG terminal at Hazira, Gujarat which is scheduled to be commissioned during the course of the year.
To meet the projected shortfall in natural gas supply, Government is encouraging the import of natural gas in the form of LNG as well as through transnational pipelines from gas rich countries in West Asia (including Iran), Central Asia and South East Asia. Government is pursuing, in particular, gas imports through pipelines from Iran transiting through Pakistan and from Myanmar through Bangladesh. The negotiations for these transnational pipeline initiatives are at initial stages