RAM NAIK LAUNCHES THE FIRST NATURAL
GAS CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
Shri Ram Naik, Minister
of Petroleum & Natural Gas, launched here today the nation-wide
first Natural Gas Conservation Programme of Gail (India) Limited.
The programme, meant to spread the word of conservation of this
precious natural resource, is a beginning of a pioneering movement.
All the natural gas using industries like power, fertilizer, steel,
sponge iron, transport, glass, ceramic and petrochemicals, would
be provided with assistance on the ways and means of conservation
of natural gas.
Giving away the Awards
to Industries for Gas Conservation, Shri Ram Naik said that the
role of oil is being increasingly taken over by gas which has
become the fuel of the 21st Century. He complimented
GAIL for having begun this journey towards saving this precious
natural resource, which is scarce and has to be used with care.
The "Save Oil" campaign can be recast as "Save Oil & Gas",
he said. He applauded GAIL for initiating the "Award for Excellence"
for efficient use of natural gas by major gas using industries.
Shri Naik underlined the importance of gas conservation by saying
that the country currently has around 75 million metric standard
cubic metres per day (MMSCMD) of gas availability against a demand
of around 155 MMSCMD. For meeting the domestic requirement, initiatives
have been taken to import liquefied natural gas at Dahej in early
2004 and at Hazira in late 2004 besides awarding 91 blocks for
exploration and production under NELP. He also advised GAIL to
provide training to the users in domestic and automobile sector
for efficient use of gas.
Delivering the keynote
address on the occasion, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Minister of State
for Petroleum & Natural Gas said that with the fast pace of
development in the country, energy demands of industries is also
rapidly increasing. While measures are being adopted by the Government
to ensure availability of fuel, it also becomes necessary for
industries to take initiatives towards conservation. The Minister
praised GAIL for having taken the stride towards gas conservation
by launching such a programme. Petroleum Secretary Shri B.K. Chaturvedi
and Shri Proshanto Banerjee, Chairman GAIL, also spoke on the
occasion.
The launch of natural
gas conservation programme by GAIL is a pioneering effort at a
time when gas market is set to emerge in a big way. Gas being
one of the environment-friendly resource its optimum utilisation
becomes all the more necessary. It is estimated that a saving
of 1 per cent of the current consumption of gas will result in
additional supply to run 10000 CNG buses or to supply 10 lakh
homes with piped gas or to generate 1 billion unit of extra power
or to produce 4 lakh tonnes of fertilizer per year. GAIL has set
up a dedicated team of 10 Engineers as technical services group
who would visit user-industries to provide necessary guidance,
help identify possible ways of inefficient use and suggest measures
that could bring down losses to zero level.
