G.K. Nair

Kochi , June 15

THE tender documents for Petronet LNG Ltd's proposed Rs 1,600-crore LNG terminal at Kochi will be prepared by Engineers India Ltd assisted by a foreign company, according to Mr Sham Sunder, Director, Technical of the company.

He told Business Line on Wednesday that for preparing the designs four parties had been shortlisted. The work would be awarded to one of them once the marine studies, such as measurement of the waves to ascertain the breakwater requirement, are completed.

He said the initial requirement of 2.5-mt LNG would be supplied by Ras Gas, Qatar. For the expansion later, gas would be brought from Iran, he said.

Brushing aside all apprehensions that the proposed LNG terminal at Mangalore to be set up by ONGC would be commissioned before the PLL terminal here, Mr Sham Sunder said: "We are much ahead of Mangalore, and Kochi would come up first." The terminal here would be commissioned by mid-2009, he added.

He said a delegation would be meeting the Kerala Chief Minister on June 22 to apprise him of the present status of the project and to request him to expedite the laying of a road to the terminal site.

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