India To Commission 2,800-Km World's Longest Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG pipeline By June This Year: Report

India’s state-run refiners are set to fully commission the world’s longest liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline stretching from Kandla on India’s west coast to Gorakhpur in the north by June 2025, reported The Economic Times.

The $1.3 billion project is expected to significantly reduce fuel transportation costs and enhance safety by minimising road accidents as it replaces the current reliance on road tankers that pose safety risks.

N Senthil Kumar, director of pipelines at Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), described the initiative as a "game changer in the LPG supply chain", likening the system to a conveyor belt for LPG. 

The dangers associated with LPG transportation (from refineries to bottling plants) by road have been underscored by recent accidents.

In Coimbatore last month, an overturned tanker disrupted traffic and brought parts of the city to a standstill. 

Similarly, in Jaipur in December, a massive explosion after a truck collided with a chemical-laden tanker led to 20 fatalities, 45 injuries, and damage to dozens of vehicles.

The 2,800-kilometer-long pipeline is being developed by Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) through their joint venture IHB Limited. 

The pipeline will stretch from Kandla on India’s west coast to Gorakhpur in the north, with the first phase scheduled for commissioning in March 2025 and full-scale operations expected by midyear, according to Kumar, who is also the chairman of the JV.

This network will have an annual transportation capacity of 8.3 million tons of LPG, accounting for approximately 25 per cent of India’s total LPG consumption. 

Given that 70 per cent of bottling plants currently rely on road transport, the pipeline’s operationalisation will provide a cost-effective alternative while significantly lowering logistical risks.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has been advocating for an expanded pipeline network, urging refiners to build additional infrastructure to meet growing demand and mitigate road safety hazards.

India, the world’s third-largest consumer of LPG, has witnessed a substantial rise in fuel demand, particularly for household cooking.

In the fiscal year ending March 2024, domestic LPG consumption surged 80 per cent over the past decade, reaching 29.6 million tons.

This growth has outpaced the 47 per cent increase seen in overall refined oil product consumption during the same period.

India currently has nearly 5,000 kilometers of LPG pipelines, and the new Kandla-Gorakhpur corridor will be a major addition to the country’s expanding fuel distribution network.

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