India’s February LNG imports dip

India’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports have slipped again during the second of the year.

Data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell monthly report shows that February LNG imports reached 2.81 billion cubic meters. This is a 20.2 per cent drop compared to the corresponding month in 2020.

Month-on-month imports, however, increased as PPAC reported LNG imports of 2.40 billion cubic meters in January 2021.

For the fiscal year from April 2020 to February 2021, cumulative imports have reached 29.88 billion cubic meters. This is a 3.3 per cent slip when compared to the corresponding period last year.

The price of LNG imports slipped from $0.9 billion in 2020 to $0.8 billion during the month under review.

The value of cumulative imports during the fiscal year from April to February slipped significantly from $8.8 billion in the corresponding period last year to $6.6 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 remained relatively flat. Petronet LNG’s Dahej LNG terminal operated at 93.6 per cent capacity.

PPAC data shows that Shell’s 5 mtpa Hazira LNG terminal operated at 83.4 per cent capacity while the Dabhol LNG facility operated at 64.9 per cent.

Kochi LNG facility was at 17.0 per cent, Indian Oil’s Ennore facility operated at 12 per cent while GSPC’s Mundra plant operated at 36.1 per cent capacity.

Looking at India’s domestic natural gas production for the month of February, it dropped 1.4 per cent last month to 2.30 billion cubic meters.