Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangalore Pipeline

Why in news?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline of the Gail Authority of India Limited (GAIL).

About the pipeline:

• The pipeline will deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) sourced from the Petronet LNG terminal in Kochi
• It was built by Petronet LNG in 2013 at a cost of Rs 4,500.
• KKBMPL is a cross-country RLNG (Re-gasified Natural Gas) project of 16-MMSCD capacity.
• Being executed by the Gas Authority of India (GAIL), it would cover 938 km, traversing Kerala (510 km), Tamil Nadu (310 km), and Karnataka (70 km).
• In the first phase, a 44-km line was laid in Kochi, linking the terminal with local industrial users, including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. To take natural gas to domestic consumers, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) entered into a pact with Adani Gas Ltd.
• The second phase of the pipeline passes through seven districts of Kerala to carry natural gas from Kochi to Bengaluru via Palakkad, with another leg taking it to Mangaluru.
• The Kochi-Mangaluru line (444 km) has been opened while the Bengaluru leg is nearing completion, officials said.

About Kochi LNG Terminal:

• It is South India’s first LNG-receiving, regasification and re-loading terminal with a capacity of five million metric tonnes per annum.
• However, for want of pipeline connectivity, it could not be utilised until now. The terminal’s objective is to supply natural gas for domestic and industrial use in Kerala and South India.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Natural Gas:
1.It consists primarily of Methane.
2.It emits comparatively less carbon than Petroleum based fuels.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims Question