Question : Import of Natural Gas

(a) the quantum of natural gas imported including amount spent by public/private sector companies during the last three years and the current year, country/quantum/value-wise.
(b) the quantum of natural gas produced as compared to demand in the country;
(c) whether GAIL has proposed to fix uniform tariff for natural gas with a view to making PNG supply cheaper and if so, the details thereof alongwith action taken by the Government on the proposal of GAIL; and
(d) whether the prices of natural gas are discriminatory for end users situated far from the source of gas and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to bring parity in the cost of gas across City Gas Distribution Networks in a State to ensure supply of gas at fixed price to them?

MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a): Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is imported under Open General Licence (OGL) on the terms and conditions mutually agreed upon between the buyers and sellers. Individual companies have entered into long term mid/short term and spot agreement with various foreign players for importing natural gas into the country. As per information of PPAC, the quantum and value of imports of LNG during last three years and current year is given below:
Year
Imports of LNG
Total LNG Imported
(in MMSCM)
LNG imported by Private Companies (in MMSCM)
In Million USD
2014-15
18536
15064
9231
2015-16
21309
12755
6710
2016-17 *
24686
15810
6089
2017-18 *
(Apr-June’17)
5887
3911
1529 * Provisional
(b): The quantum of natural gas produced as compared to demand during last three years and current year is given below:
Year
Production of Natural Gas
Demand of Natural Gas
In MMSCM
In MMSCM
2014-15
33657
46955
2015-16
32249
47849
2016-17 *
31897
50828
2017-18 *
(Apr-June’17)
8058
8221@ @ data pertains to April-May 2017, * Provisional
(c) GAIL has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and also to Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) for determining a unified tariff for its inter-connected cross-country pipelines with a view to improve the utilisation of pipelines at rationalized tariffs. Under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Act, 2006, the Regulatory Board determines the transportation tariff for gas pipelines. The Government has forwarded the request of GAIL for inputs to PNGRB.
(d) The prices of gas may vary from city to city depending upon the basic cost of natural gas, transportation cost and local taxes and levies. The 100% requirement of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network for CNG (transport) and PNG (domestic) segments is met through domestic natural gas which is supplied to all the CGD entities at uniform base price as determined under New Pricing Guidelines on Domestic Gas dated 25.10.2014.
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