Page 154 - CW E-Magazine (18-3-2025)

Hydrocarbons

FOCUS ON SAFETY
Regulator wants oil companies to avoid transportation

via road

Oil companies should avoid road These guidelines were issued in the road transportation”, the safety guide-
transportation of bulk petroleum products wake of an LPG tanker accident near lines will have to be adhered to by “all
over long distances and instead use rail- Jaipur last December, killing about 20 the entities engaged in the road trans-
ways or captive pipelines of their com- people. In recent years, PNGRB has portation of petroleum products,” the
petitors, the Petroleum and Natural Gas sought to turn state-run oil companies’ regulator said. These entities have been
Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has said in captive fuel pipelines into common advised to submit compliance reports
its latest safety guidelines after a devas- carrier facilities, a move the pipeline within a month. The guidelines “strictly
tating pre-dawn accident and subsequent owners have opposed. In 2022, the regu- prohibit night driving of petroleum pro-
fi re killed several people in Jaipur. lator wrote to state-run oil marketing duct tankers” between 11 pm and 6 am.
companies that the concept of “captive” Exemption can be made for those
“Captive pipelines of other oil mar- pipelines had no legal backing, and that stretches of roads where driving in the
keting companies should be utilised to the PNGRB Act recognised only three restricted hours is unavoidable. “While
the extent of spare capacity available types of pipelines: common carrier, deciding the mode of travel, commer-
under product sharing or as common contract carrier, and a dedicated pipe- ciality should not be the only conside-
carriers,” the downstream regulator line laid to supply petroleum products ration,” the regulator said. “Public
has said in its guidelines for safe road to a specifi c consumer. safety is also an important conside-
transportation of petroleum products, ration particularly when the travel is
LPG, and natural gas. “PNGRB may be With an “aim to prevent road inci- over long distances and through con-
informed in the case of the latter.” dents and to improve overall safety in gested areas,” it added.

PROJECT UPDATE
Adani Welspun’s Mumbai offshore gas block

to start output from 2028

Adani Welspun Exploration Ltd. The Adani Group holds 65% in owned subsidiary of its fl agship com-
(AWEL), the 65:35 joint venture bet- AWEL through Adani Enterprises, while pany, Welspun Enterprise. The com-
ween the Adani and Welspun groups, the Welspun Group owns 35% through panies have together invested around
will begin gas production from its Welspun Natural Resources – a wholly Rs. 2,300-crore in the block so far.
block located in the prolifi c gas-prone
Tapti-Daman sector of the Mumbai ONGC unit buys clean energy fi rm
offshore basin in 2028.
PTC Energy for $106-mn
AWEL is also an operator with
100% interest in B-9 Cluster, an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation India has committed to setting up
adjacent small fi eld. “The gas initially (ONGC) said its unit has acquired clean 500-GW of non-fossil fuel electricity
in place is 0.75-trillion cubic feet. energy fi rm, PTC Energy, for Rs. 9.25-bn generation capacity by 2030, but is still
We have submitted our plans to the ($106.02-mn) as the company looks to falling short of its previously set target
Directorate General of Hydrocarbons ramp up its green energy portfolio. to add 175-GW by 2022. ONGC, via its
and are awaiting approval. We hope unit ONGC Green, is aiming to achieve
to start production from the block PTC Energy has operational wind 10-GW renewable energy portfolio by
from 2028,” Welspun Enterprises’ generation capacity of 288 megawatts 2030. In February, ONGC and its joint
Managing Director Mr. Sandeep Garg located at seven locations across three venture NTPC Green Energy acquired
was quoted as saying in an Economic states. It posted a revenue of Rs. 3.22-bn Ayana Renewable Power, which operates
Times report. in fi scal year 2024. solar and wind plants valued at $2.3-bn.

154 Chemical Weekly March 18, 2025

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