State-owned Gas Authority Of India Ltd (GAIL) is in the process of capitalising on the growing global demand of petrochemicals and is planning for a major push in capacity expansion of its petrochemical facilities. GAIL plans to set up two petrochemical plants, a Rs 7,000 crore unit in Kochi in Kerala and a Rs 5,200 crore unit in Lepetkata in Assam.
The 4,00,000 tpa Kochi plant is to be 100% owned by GAIL and is to be operational in seven years. The Kochi plant, an integrated grassroots unit, would be an ethane-propane (c2-c3) based petrochemical complex that will produce 600,000 tpa of ethylene and 100,000 tpa of propylene. The feedstock for this plant will be imported LNG, which will be re-gasified at the terminal of Petronet LNG Ltd at Kochi.
The 2,80,000 tpa Lepetkata plant is to be 70% owned by GAIL, with the balance being divided between Oil India Ltd (OIL), Numaligarh Refineries Ltd and the Assam government. The Assam plant has been given cabinet approval and it would take 5 years to start production. Gas will be supplied by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Naphtha would be sourced from the Numaligarh refinery.
26-Apr-06 
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