World’s first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) terminal
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Polity & Governance
- Published
1st Oct, 2022
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Context:
The Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for the “world’s first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) terminal” at Bhavnagar in Gujarat.
About Bhavnagar CNG terminal
- It will be “world’s first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) terminal along with the world's fourth largest lock gate system.
- The idea got incepted during the January 2019 Vibrant Gujarat summit when a consortium of some stakeholder signed MoU with Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for development of the CNG terminal.
- The CNG project is a part of an ambitious mega project of brownfield expansion of Bhavnagar port.
- The port will be built under the BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) policy of the state government.
- The proposed development of a brownfield port terminal is planned in the northern part of existing Bhavnagar port in Gujarat.
- The primary objective of the CNG terminal will be to develop CNG receiving infrastructure facilities for India through Gujarat coast.
- The state-run GMB will continue to operate the berths on the south side of the port.
About CNG
- CNG is natural gas compressed under pressure so that more of it occupies lesser volume in the fuel tank.
- It is a fuel gas mainly composed of methane (CH4).
- CNG is compressed to a pressure of 200 to 250 kg/cm2. In this compressed form, it occupies less than 1 percent of its volume at atmospheric pressure.
- In simple words, CNG is produced by compressing natural gas to less than 1% of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure.
- In response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, CNG has been used in auto rickshaws, pickup trucks, transit and school buses, and trains.
Benefits of using CNG:
- Environment friendly: Commonly referred to as the green fuel because of its lead and sulphur free character, CNG reduces harmful emissions. Due to the absence of any lead or benzene content in CNG, lead or benzene pollution is eliminated.
- Not a Fire Hazard: The ignition temperature of CNG is 600?C, which is higher than gasoline (320?C) and diesel (285?C). This means that CNG vehicles are less likely to catch fire under any circumstances.
- Dual facility: CNG Vehicle can run both on CNG and Petrol.
- Low operational cost: The operational cost of vehicles running on CNG, as compared to those running on other fuels, is comparatively low.
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Why is the Bhavnagar port important?
- The Bhavnagar port is in close vicinity to the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) and is expected to serve the industries that set up bases in the region.
- It is already connected to the northern hinterland through a railway line that extends to the existing berths at the port.
What makes the port unique?
- The project will repair and redevelop the tidal lock gate system, which will be the fourth largest such system in the world.
- Traditionally, because of the higher tidal range of approximately 10 meters, Bhavnagar creek attracts a significant amount of sediment in the form of silt.
- This lock gate system has been set up so that a minimal amount of sediment enters the port basin during high tide, thus bringing down the cost of dredging inside the port substantially.
