Lok Sabha Question No. 178 (STARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Regulations for LNG
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 178 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016 REGULATIONS FOR LNG

## * 178.  KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

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- (a)      Whether  the  Petroleum  and  Explosives  Safety  Organization    has  constituted  an  expert committee to draft regulations for installation of LNG fuel tank and dispensing stations;
- (b)    if so, the terms of reference, composition along with the time by which the committee is likely to submit its report to the Government;
- (c)      whether  the  Petronet  LNG  Limited,  Indian  Oil  Corporation  Limited  and  some  private Motor companies propose to launch LNG fuelled bus in the country and if so, the details thereof along with salient features of the same;
- (d)     the time by which the said bus is likely to be certified for commercial use; and
- (e)      the  further  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  green  fuel  in  the country?

## ANSWER

पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्रािय में राज् य मंत्ररी (स् विंत्र प्राार ( श्ररी धमेन्द र प्रधान

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.178 ASKED BY KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH AND SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, MPs TO BE ANSWERED ON NOVEMBER 28, 2016

(a) & (b): Yes. The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) has taken an initiative to explore the possibility of usage of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a transportation fuel in Road Transport sector. MoP&NG  has  requested Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization  (PESO)  to  frame  relevant  safety  guidelines  for  LNG  usage  for  automobile. Accordingly, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO), in the month of August 2016, constituted an expert committee, comprising of a Chairperson, a Member-Secretary and 10 Members to make recommendations in respect of the following -

- (i) For  amendment  in  Gas  Cylinders  Rules,  2004  regarding  LNG  container  for automotive application.
- (ii) For amendment in the SMPV (U) Rules, 1981 for setting up of LNG dispensing stations.

The timeline given to the committee for submission of its report is within 3 months.

(c)  &  (d):  Petronet  LNG  Limited  (PLL)  alongwith  M/s  Tata  Motors  and  Indian  Oil Corporation Limited have carried out a test run of an LNG fuelled bus on November 8, 2016 in Trivandrum (Kerala). LNG is an ecofriendly fuel with low levels of emissions viz. NOx, SOx and particulate matters as compared to any other automotive fuels. LNG is green fuel as well  as  more  economical  in  comparison  to  Diesel.  The  project  is  at  pilot  stage  and  its commercial operation commencement depends upon requisite clearances.

(e): In order to promote green fuel in the country, the Government has taken various steps as under:

(i) The  Government  has  envisaged  to  develop  additional  15000  Km  gas  pipelines  for completion  of  National  Gas  Grid  and  to  increase  the  availability  of  natural  gas  across  the country. The Government has taken a historic decision to provide a capital grant of Rs.5176 crore (i.e. 40% of the estimated capital cost of Rs.12,940 Crore) to GAIL for development of a 2539  Km  long  Jagdishpur-Haldia/Bokaro-Dhamra  Gas  Pipeline (JHBDPL)  project, popularly  known  as  the  'Pradhan  Mantri  Urja  Ganga'  of  Eastern  India.  This  project  will ensure the availability of clean and eco-friendly fuel, i.e. natural gas to the Eastern part of the country.

(ii) The Government has given priority in allocation of domestic gas (the cheapest  gas available in country) for supply to households in the form of Piped Natural Gas [(PNG(D)] and transport segment in the form of Compressed Natural Gas [(CNG (T)] across the country. Government  is  meeting  100%  gas  requirement  of  PNG  (Domestic)  and  CNG  (Transport) segment of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks across the country.

(iii) The  Government,  through  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs),  is  implementing  the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme under which, OMCs sell ethanol blended petrol with percentage of ethanol upto 10%.

(iv)      The  Government  has  allowed  sale  of  Bio-diesel  (B100)  by  private  manufacturers  to bulk consumers.  Retailing of bio-diesel blended diesel by Public Sector OMCs has started on 10 th August, 2015.  Bio-diesel blended diesel (B5) is being sold by OMCs in 6 states at more than 3500 retail outlets.

(v) The Government has allowed procurement of ethanol produced from other non-food feedstock's, like cellulosic and lingo cellulosic materials including petrochemical route.

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