GAIL and Shell reach an agreement to discuss ethane supply

20 Mar 2023 CW Team

The largest gas utility in India, GAIL, announced that it has reached a deal with Shell Energy India to investigate potential for ethane sourcing and other aspects of the energy value chain. To replace natural gas and naphtha as the feedstock at petrochemical plants, GAIL intends to import ethane from the US.

GAIL said in a statement that it and Shell Energy India had inked an agreement to "examine prospects for infrastructure development for ethane sourcing."

GAIL published a tender last month to contract a VLEC (very large ethane carrier) for 20 years beginning in the middle of 2026 to import ethane from the US.

The ship, which can carry between 80,000 and 99,000 cubic metres of ethane, is intended to transport it from the US ports of Marcus Hook, Nederland, Morgan's Point, or Beaumont to Dahej, Hazira, or Dabhol in Gujarat or Maharashtra.

GAIL operates a petrochemical factory at Pata, near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and is also looking to set up another one at Usar in Maharashtra.

Because the government shifted gas supplies from the plant to municipal gas suppliers, the firm had to reduce operation rate at Pata. This had an effect on its profitability, thus the company is now exploring to add ethane as a feedstock supplement.

Also read:
Government to fund green energy conversion of state-run refineries
Powergrid will issue bonds to raise up to Rs 9 billion

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..