India’s December LNG imports jump

Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into India rose during the last month of 2019 when compared to the corresponding month in 2018. 

Data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) shows that 2.83 billion cubic meters of LNG have been imported into India during the month under review, 22.8 percent above the volumes imported in the corresponding month in 2018.

PPAC added that the cumulative import for the April-December 2019 period reached 23.58 billion cubic meters, 6.8 percent above the volumes recorded in the corresponding period the previous year.

The cost of LNG imports was at $7.1 billion for the fiscal year, which is an 11.25 percent drop when compared to the corresponding period the previous year.

For the month of December, the cost reached $0.8 billion, an 11.11 percent drop, compared to December 2018.

For the calendar year 2019, imports reached 28.74 billion cubic meters at a cost of $10.3 billion, an increase compared to the 27.44 billion cubic meters in 2018, and the price tag of $8.1 billion.

Ministry’s data shows that Petronet LNG’s Dahej terminal once again operated above full capacity utilization. Namely, the terminal operated at 106.1 percent capacity utilization during the fiscal year so far with the Hazira LNG terminal operating at 98.1 percent capacity utilization.

Kochi LNG terminal operated at 15.3 percent capacity while Dabhol and Ennore LNG terminals operated at 13.1 and 7 percent utilization capacity, respectively.