India’s December LNG imports edge up

India’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) import ticked up during the month of December 2020.

Data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell monthly report shows that December LNG imports reached 2.78 billion cubic meters, edging 0.9 per cent up from the corresponding month in 2019.

However,month-on-month imports slipped from the volumes imported in November 2020.

For the fiscal year from April to December 2020, India imported a total 24.75 Bcm of LNG, which is 0.7 per cent up on the corresponding period last year.

The price of imports slipped again slightly in December, from $0.8 billion in 2019 to $0.7 billion during the month under review.

The value of cumulative imports during the fiscal year from April to December slipped significantly from $7.1 billion in 2019 to $5.1 billion currently.

India currently imports chilled fuel via six LNG import terminals with a combined capacity of 42.5 million tonnes.

According to PPAC, utilization of these facilities continues to pick up. Petronet LNG’s Dahej LNG terminal operated at 95.4 per cent capacity.

PPAC data shows that Shell’s 5 mtpa Hazira LNG terminal operated at 93.3 per cent capacity while the Dabhol LNG facility operated at 52 per cent.

Kochi LNG facility was at 16.3 per cent, Indian Oil’s Ennore facility operated at 11.5 per cent while GSPC’s Mundra plant operated at 37.1 per cent capacity.

Looking at India’s domestic natural gas production for the month of December, it dropped 7.1 per cent last month to 2.42 billion cubic meters.