India's Adani Group Eyes Bangladesh LPG Market

Adani Gas Ltd (AGL), the natural gas distribution arm of leading Indian private sector group Adani Enterprises, is looking to expand in the household gas markets in Bangladesh and eastern India.

It has proposed to build a 650-km pipeline network that will connect the Adani Group's proposed LPG terminal at Dhamra port in Odisha to Asansol and Duttapulia in West Bengal. Duttapulia is near the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Adani Gas has submitted an expression of interest (EOI) to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) regarding laying of the pipeline.

Expanding in these markets makes sense for Adani as east India and Bangladesh household gas markets are extremely underexploited. In a speech delivered during Bangladesh Investment & Policy Summit in January this year, Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, said that the Dhamra port is one of company’s largest and most strategic ports and is expected to be a major catalyst in enabling trade expansion within the Bay of Bengal.

In addition to private sectors firms, Indian state owned firms are also eyeing the Bangladesh market. Last month, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on broad aspects of cooperation in downstream oil and gas sector opportunities in Bangladesh.

The MoU paves the way for discussion on setting up LPG import terminal at coastal belt of Chittagong district, marketing of LPG and developing related infrastructure in Bangladesh, transportation LPG from Chittagong to Indian city of Tripura and any other form of hydrocarbon sector related cooperation of common interest as may be agreed by IOCL and BPC.

The MoU was signed during Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s visit to Bangladesh from 17th to 19th of April.