More CNG pumps to come up by year-end
Vehicle riders and housing societies in the city can expect availability of compressed natural gas (CNG) within close proximity of their residence. CNG supplier Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) has chalked out an extensive plan for the year to start more CNG pumps and widen the reach of piped gas connections at housing societies across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. As part of expansion plan, MNGL has approached the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) seeking vacant spaces in eight areas to set up refilling units. It is also exploring options to hire more than 20 to 25 plots of private land to set up refilling stations. By the end of 2017, the company plans to take up the number of CNG pumps beyond 50. Darren Fells Authentic Jersey
Mahanagar Gas Limited Launches CNG Kits For Two-Wheelers in Mumbai
Continuing in its endeavor to protect the environment through its eco-friendly fuel, Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) in association with M/s Eco Fuel (Indian Partners of Lovato, Italy) launched CNG fueled two-wheelers on January 1. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the company’s initiative in Mumbai, in the presence of Vinod Tawde, Minister for Education, Youth, Sports & Cultural Affairs and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban, Government of Maharashtra. Dharmendra Pradhan also launched e-wallet payments for CNG filling stations, thus supporting the government’s objective of making India a cashless economy. Other dignitaries including MP Poonam Mahajan, MLA Adv Trupti Prakash Sawant, Rajesh Pandey, Director – MNGL, B.C Tripathi, Chairman & Managing Director – GAIL (India) Limited and Rajeev Mathur, Managing Director – MGL also attended the event. The CNG kit for two wheelers comprises of two CNG cylinders of 1.2 kg each, which can run up to 120 to 130 km per kg at an approximate cost of Rs 0.60 per km. In the initial phase, the scooters shall be retrofitted with a CNG kit manufactured by Lovato. Presently two kit manufacturers namely M/s ITUK & M/s Lovato have got two-wheeler CNG kits approved by ARAI, Pune and ICAT Gurgaon respectively. Lovato has got approval for 18 scooter models of various OEMs present in the market. Considering the huge potential of this segment, other kit manufacturers are also planning to launch their two-wheeler kits. Salient features of a two-wheeler CNG kit: • CNG Cylinders: Two, each having capacity to 5 litres • One fill CNG quantity: 1.2 Kg (0.6 kg in each cylinder) • Mileage on CNG: Average 90 km/kg and 110 km per fill • Per KM operating cost: Approximately 60 paise per km The following two-wheelers can run on CNG fuels: Hero Duet with 110.9 Engine cm3 TVS Jupiter with 109.7 Engine cm3 Hero Maestro with 109 Engine cm3 TVS Scooty Zest with 109.7 Engine cm3 Hero Pleasure with 102 Engine cm3 TVS Wego with 109.7 Engine cm3 Honda Activa 125 with 124.9 Engine cm3 Vespa with 124.49 Engine cm3 Honda Dio with 109.2 Engine cm3 Yamaha Alpha with 113 Engine cm3 Mahindra Duro DZ with 124.6 Engine cm3 Yamaha Fascino with 113 Engine cm3 Mahindra Gusto with 109.6 Engine cm3 Yamaha Ray with 113 Engine cm3 Mahindra Gusto 125 with 124.6 Engine cm3 Suzuki Access with 124 Engine cm3 Suzuki LET’S with 112.8 Engine cm3 Suzuki Swish with 124 Engine cm3 Easy availability and accessibility of CNG stations should keep filling time to the minimal, except some pockets in the day that will take more time due to shift changes of the autos and taxis. The average distance between CNG stations across in the given zone is as follows: Western: 1.52 KM; Central: 1.47 km; Navi Mumbai: 3.2 km; Kalyan, Dombivali, Ambernath and Badlapur (KDAB): 4.5 km. The present infrastructure has the capacity of dispensing more than 2.7 million kgs of CNG per day which can fuel over 1 million vehicles in its operational area. Additionally, MGL has also launched MGL Connect Mobile App (available on Google Play Store) which will assist consumers find the nearest CNG station in MMR and nearby areas for convenient refueling. MGL also promotes the opening of CNG stations from third parties on availability of plots and other pre-requisite permissions. Joe Kocur Womens Jersey
All eyes on imported gas to meet Pakistan’s energy requirements
Despite extensive drilling by oil and gas E&P companies that resulted in over 90 new discoveries in just three years, the much-talked about IP, TAPI and LNG projects are considered the thirst-quenching streams for the energy starved nation. Now with the concerted efforts of the present government, the decades old projects-Iran-Pakistan (IP), Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipelines and import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) – are almost in practical phase. Last year has already seen LNG’s import, while work on TAPI began in December, 2015. Similarly, the IP project will hopefully commence this year after amendment in the gas sale-purchase agreement with Iran. Critics believe it or not, there is light at the end of the tunnel as setting sun of 2017 will see end to this crippling legacy of the previous years when energy shortages started to hit the country slowly and steadily. In Pakistan, the gas supply-demand gap has reached 4 Billion Cubic Feet per Day (BCFD) as total gas demand of the country is 8 BCFD against total supply of 4 BCFD. Needless to say, in winter, the demand rapidly increases. “The country has no option other than to import gas whether it is LNG or through IP and TAPI pipeline projects as its existing reserves are depleting and there is no major find since long,” Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said while addressing a seminar titled “Transparency in public sector: An appraisal.” The present government, he said, was eyeing on imported gas besides accelerating local oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) activities to meet the ever-growing energy needs in the country. Commenting on IP project, official sources in the Ministry revealed that the government was in the process of negotiating amendments in the Gas Sale Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with Iran for early implementation of the much-delayed project, which was conceived in mid-1950s. “A draft amendment has been shared with Iran, and it has agreed to negotiate on it along with some other amendments in the GSPA, following which construction work on the pipeline is expected to commence soon in collaboration with China,” the sources aware of the project updates said. Sharing details of the project, the sources said Inter-Governmental Framework Declaration was signed between the two countries on May 24, 2009, while GSPA had been agreed on June 2009. Subsequently, Pakistan issued sovereign guarantee on May 28, 2010. The project consultant was appointed on April 11, 2011, while the design, feasibility, route survey and other formalities of the project were completed on September 8, 2012. The 56-inch diameter pipeline will start from South Pars gas field in Iran and end at Nawabshah, covering a distance of around 1,931 km with 1,150 km portion in Iran and 781 km in Pakistan. The 750 mmcfd gas flow in the IP pipeline is projected to help generate around 4, 000 MW electricity ALSO, along with creating job opportunities in backward areas of Balochistan and Sindh, the sources said. Commenting on TAPI project, the sources said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with other regional leaders performed the groundbreaking of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project in Turkmenistan in December last. The groundbreaking ceremony took place near the city of Mary in the southeastern part of the central Asian country, close to the giant Galkynysh gas field which is meant to provide gas for the 1,814-kilometre (1,127-mile) link. The $10 billion pipeline, from Turkmenistan via Herat, Kandhar, Chaman, Quetta and Dera Gazi Khan to Multan and onwards to India, is expected to be operational by 2019. A state-owned company of Turkmenistan is the consortium for the TAPI and overseeing coordination in the construction, financing, ownership and operation of the project. As per the agreement, it was prerequisite for Pakistan, India and Afghanistan to have five per cent shares each in the project. Turkmengaz, leader of the consortium, would have 51 per cent shares, with the rest marked for partner countries It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is already working on laying a 42-inch diameter 700-kilometer gas pipeline from Gwadar to Nawabshah, and a 1122-kilometer north-south (Karchi-Lahore) gas pipeline that can be used for supply the both regassified LNG and imported gas under IP and TAPI. On LNG import, the official sources said this year Pakistan signed a 15 year agreement with Qatar to import up to 3.75 million tonnes of LNG a year, which was being highly appreciated by the business community as the previous governments had been reluctant to take any practical step in this regard. After arrival of LNG, industries, gas-based power units, CNG sector, fertilizer plants and especially domestic consumers started receiving uninterrupted supply, which is not less than of any miracle by any mean. A LNG-terminal is already operational at the Port Qasim, while two more each at Gwadar and Karachi are also being set up on priority basis to handle increased cargoes of the imported commodity for onward injection in the transmission network of gas companies – Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited. With the present government firmly resolved and making all-out efforts to bring these projects to maximum fruition, the sources expressed high hopes that gas shortfall problem would be solved to maximum extent within remaining period of the government. Dion Lewis Jersey
Iran and India eye a refinery deal in northern Brazil
Talks between Brazil, Iran and India could result in the construction of an oil refinery and petrochemical plant in one of the South American nation’s poorest states, according to politicians, a diplomat and other people close to the talks. The state of Maranhao, on Brazil’s northern Atlantic coast, is offering a 5,000-acre site for the project, according to a senior official in the state’s government, who requested not to be named because he doesn’t want to jeopardize the talks. The area already has a deep water port for tankers and its location would provide relatively easy access to the Pacific and Asia via the Panama Canal. Despite extensive oil reserves, Brazil lacks refining capacity. The project would help Brazil address its dependence on refined fuel imports and could provide a boost to the local economy, Jose Reinaldo Tavares, a federal lawmaker, said in an interview. The project would require investment of at least $2.5 billion, according to the legislator, who recently travelled to Tehran and New Delhi as part of an official delegation from Maranhão. Iranian oil officials have visited the proposed site twice already, a local Maranhao official said. Mohammad Ali Ghanezadeh, Iran’s ambassador to Brazil, said in an interview that his government is “very much interested” and “ready to put money and energy” into the project. He added that the main obstacle to the deal are U.S. banking sanctions. Engineers India Ltd, a New Delhi-based design and engineering company, is participating in the discussions but its involvement will depend on financing conditions, according to people in India and Brazil familiar with the talks. Ryan Succop Jersey