The national gas consumption has risen from 86 million metric standard cubic meters per day in 2007 to 189 MMSCMD in 2024. The national gas pipeline network has increased from 14,000 km in 2018 to 24,881 km in 2024.

Aug 21, 2024

The consumption of natural gas in the country has taken a big leap in the last nearly two decades, increasing from 86 million metric standard cubic meters per day (MMSCMD) in 2007 to 189 MMSCMD in 2024. This was accompanied by a significant expansion of the national gas pipeline network from 14,000 km in 2018 to 24,881 km in 2024.

The growth is in line with the Union government’s ambitious plans to create a national gas grid and increase the availability of natural gas across the country. Going forward with this plan, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorized an approximately 33,478 km length of natural gas pipeline network across the country. 

According to the data available on the Press Information Bureau (PIB), PNG connections to the households is part of development of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network and the same is carried out by the entities authorized by PNGRB. 

After completion of 12/12A CGD bidding round, PNGRB has authorized 307 Geographical Areas (GAs) covering almost 100 percent of the total geographical area of the country spread over around 733 districts in 34 states/UTs for the development of CGD network with MWP target of establishing approximately 12.63 crore PNG connections across the country by 2032. 

As on May 31, 2024, 1.31 crore PNG connections have been provided by the CGD entities and 5,20,176 Inch-kilometer of Steel and MDPE pipeline has been laid across the country against the MWP target of 5,46,867 Inch-kilometer.

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To promote the use of gas in PNG (D) segment, the government has taken various measures to meet demands for piped gas to households from cheaper domestic gas, which includes diverting domestic gas from power and other non-priority sectors to meet the requirement of CNG (Transport) and PNG (Domestic) segments; declaring CNG(T)/PNG(D) sector as the first priority for allocation of domestic natural gas; priority to CNG(T)/PNG(D) sector for supply of High Pressure High temperature (HP-HT) gas in any situation requiring proportionate distribution of gas under the bidding process.

As of March 2024, approximately 24,881 km pipeline is operational and 10,404 kms of pipeline is under construction.