Qatar to supply additional LNG to India

New Delhi, March 22 : Qatar is finalising terms to supply four more million tonnes of liquefied natural gas to India by 2013, visiting Qatari Deputy Premier and Energy and Industry Minister Abdulla Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah said here Monday.

"Hopefully, in a few weeks, we will finalise...We are talking about (supply of) 4 million (metric tonnes) from 2011," he told reporters after participating in the inaugural ceremony of the sixth Asia Gas Partnership Summit.

He pointed out that India has been one of the biggest consumers of LNG from Qatar. Currently, the middle eastern country supplies 7.5 million tonnes per annum (MMPTA).

"We had already sold out, but we have some diversion now," said Al-Attiyah, referring to its plans to divert its supply committed to the US and Europe to Asia.

India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary S.Sundareshan said the additional LNG will go to Petronet LNG and a LNG terminal in Maharashtra, which is still to be commissioned.

"The proposal is for (an additional) 0.3 MMT LNG in 2010, 0.5 MMT in 2011, 2.5 MMT in 2012 and 4 MMT in 2013," Sundareshan told reporters.

He added that the negotiations for price were still under way.

India currently has capacity of 14.5 million tonnes for LNG re-gassification at Dahej and Kochi terminals. With plans to expand infrastructure by commissioning new terminals, the capacity is set to increase to 20 million tonnes per annum by 2011-12.

Incidentally, Qatar is also supplying five million tonnes to China annually and has signed an agreement to increase this supply by another 7 million tonnes per annum. "We are already in talks with China for more supply," Al-Attiyah said.