GAIL’s Dabhol pipeline gets going

"GAIL’s Dabhol pipeline gets going
Gas-Filling Marks Commissioning Of 100-Km Stretch Between Dahej & Surat
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: State-owned gas utility GAIL on Monday started filling the first stage of its Dahej-Panvel-Dabhol pipeline, marking the commissioning of the 100-km stretch between Dahej and Surat. Oil minister Murli Deora and his deputy Dinsha Patel kicked off the gas-filling process at Surat. Chairman U D Choubey and director (projects) S K Bajpayee were also present on the occasion.
The gas-filling exercise also clears the way for resumption of work on a 12-km stretch in Surat district, which had stalled due to a diversion sought by the Gujarat government. The Dahej-Panvel-Dabhol pipeline stretches across 576-km and is estimated to cost Rs 3,200 crore. The pipeline is designed to carry 12 million cubic metres per day of gas and will carry LNG (liquefied natural gas) from Petronet’s import terminal at Dahej to the Dabhol power project.
Nearly Rs 100 crore has been disbursed to farmers as compensation for their land. The construction activities commenced in May 2006, which faced intervening monsoon and RoU-related issues. The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of this month within the approved cost of Rs 3,200 crore and gas supply to the Dabhol power plant is expected by June-end.
The inter-state gas pipeline will link two important gas markets of Gujarat and Maharashtra. At present, gas market in Gujarat has access to five supply sources such as the South Bassein field, Panna-Mukta Tapti field, Lakshmi fields, Dahej and Shell LNG. In contrast, the Maharashtra market has access to supplies from only Bombay High field, which is fast declining.
The project is being executed in five spreads with deployment of heavy construction equipment. Approximately 222-km of the pipeline will be in Gujarat, while the remaining 354-km of the trunk line will be in Maharashtra. The pipeline traverses 33 river crossings, including kilometre-long stretches across Narmada and Tapi rivers. The project execution team also had to overcome 310-km of rocky and hilly terrain.

Petroleum minister Murli Deora and GAIL chief U D Choubey at the pipeline site near Surat

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