In a significant development for India’s energy infrastructure, the country’s largest underground LPG storage cavern has been completed at Bala in Mangaluru. Developed by Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), the facility has a capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes and marks a major step in enhancing India’s strategic petroleum reserves.

This is only the second such underground LPG storage cavern in India and plays a vital role in strengthening national energy security and ensuring uninterrupted clean energy supply. The facility can store up to six lakh barrels, equivalent to 60 million litres, of liquefied petroleum gas. It comprises two separate underground chambers designed to store 40,000 MT of Propane and 60,000 MT of Butane.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 8.54 billion, the project successfully passed all key testing stages. MEIL announced its completion on 6 June via its official 'X' handle. The most crucial stage, the Cavern Acceptance Test (CAT), was conducted from 9 May to 6 June, involving a stringent three-phase procedure.

The CAT commenced with a pressurisation phase, where internal pressure was gradually raised to 8.310 kg/cm². This was followed by a 100-hour stabilisation period, during which all vents were sealed to check for leakage and gather hydrogeological data. The final depressurisation phase safely returned the system to atmospheric pressure, confirming the cavern’s integrity and readiness for LPG storage.

A remarkable feat of engineering, the facility includes a 1,083-metre access tunnel, upper and lower water curtains measuring 578.2 metres and 804.31 metres respectively, and 486.2 metres of connecting tunnels. The two main storage chambers, S1 and S2, are located at depths of 220 metres and 225 metres, with a vertical shaft extending 164.1 metres.

Industry sources stated that the successful completion of the Mangaluru LPG storage cavern marks a major milestone in meeting India's rising clean energy needs while reinforcing its preparedness against supply disruptions.