India Fast-Tracks Oman-Gujarat Subsea Gas Pipeline

India is advancing a proposed subsea natural gas pipeline from Ras Al Jifan in Oman to Porbandar in Gujarat. The project is planned as a deep-sea link across the Arabian Sea with a route length of about 1,600 km to 2,000 km and a maximum depth of about 3,450 metres.

Pipeline Route and Capacity

The pipeline is designed to transport 31 million metric standard cubic metres per day of natural gas. The route is planned to connect Oman directly with the western coast of India and to reduce dependence on maritime gas shipments.

Project Cost and Technical Features

The estimated capital expenditure is about ₹40,000 crore to ₹43,000 crore, or around 4.7 billion to 6 billion. The project has been described as a deep-water pipeline venture because it must operate at extreme seabed depths and across long offshore distances. The proposed alignment includes the Arabian Sea, the Owen Fracture Zone, and the Indus Fan. The Owen Fracture Zone is a submarine tectonic boundary in the north-western Indian Ocean, and the Indus Fan is a large deep-sea sedimentary system.

Institutions and Feasibility Work

State-run entities such as GAIL (India) Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation, and Engineers India Ltd are expected to prepare the Detailed Feasibility Report. The South Asia Gas Enterprise has already carried out a physical test pipeline exercise along part of the proposed route. The test pipeline covered about 3,000 metres and involved an expenditure of about ₹25 crore. The exercise was used to assess seabed conditions and high-pressure steel pipe-laying methods.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
• Natural gas is commonly measured in million metric standard cubic metres per day, abbreviated as mmscmd.
• GAIL (India) Ltd is a Maharatna public sector undertaking in the Indian gas sector.
• India imports a large share of its crude oil, and pipeline diversification is part of its energy security planning.

Energy Security Context

India’s domestic natural gas consumption is about 190 to 195 mmscmd. The projected demand for 2030 is about 290 to 300 mmscmd. The proposed pipeline is also linked to wider gas sourcing from Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkmenistan.