Key Points

"We are working on finalising the mission roadmap. Discussions are also on to finalise the total outlay," Niti Aayog official said at an event.

He also called for long-term supply contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to boost gas consumption to 180-200 billion cubic meters by 2030, aiming for a 15 per cent energy mix share. This requires a two to threefold increase in LNG consumption.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is a process that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial sources and power plants before it enters the atmosphere. Captured CO2 is transported for use in products like chemicals, building materials, or fuels, or it is permanently stored in underground geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.

To increase LNG consumption and long term supplies, Ram called for a nationwide survey of geographical basins to map existing resources and reduce import dependence. At the domestic front, we have to tie up at mass level for CBG (compressed biogas), he added.

BC Tripathi, former chairman and managing director of GAIL, stated that India's gas pipeline network, though large in scale, operates at approximately 50-55 per cent capacity. "The transport sector can be a major area of gas demand which would help in reducing the use of diesel and carbon emissions," he said.

Rajarshi Gupta, MD of ONGC Videsh Ltd, said that discussions are ongoing regarding different and innovative models for gas sourcing. ONGC plans to source approximately five million tonnes of LNG from multiple sources, a combination of Henry Hub and crude-based LNG.

- IANS