Petronet LNG said it has found ways to enhance the utilization of the Kochi LNG terminal.
The company made a decision to start providing services relating to gassing up and cool down of an LNG vessel at the terminal recently.
As Petronet LNG informed in a statement, the services were provided to Golar Snow LNG carrier which had arrived under nitrogen. For gas up the Nitrogen is displaced with LNG vapours in a controlled manner. Then the vessel tanks are slowly cooled to about minus 110°C, before injecting LNG. The whole operation was performed in a period of 48 hours and the vessel left for its destination carrying a small “heel” quantity of LNG, the company informed.
Earlier, Petronet said it had provided LNG bunkering services to a vessel which, due to stringent pollution norms in its area of operations, has to run on the cleaner fuel, LNG.
The Kochi LNG terminal has also been providing services relating to “storage” and “reload” of LNG.
This is the first time in India that such services are being provided. The Kochi LNG terminal, which has been running at a very low capacity utilization due to non-availability of pipeline evacuation network, is looking into providing such value added services.
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Image: Petronet LNG