**3. National gas grid**

India aspires to raise natural gas's share to 15% by 2030 from 6.5% in 2020, which necessitates the development of associated infrastructure. Often the natural consumption centers are away from production centers, so pipeline connectivity or virtual pipelines are critical to meet the demand. India's natural gas grid would expand to 32,559 km from the existing operational network of 17,016 km (**Table 3**).

India's plan for creating an interconnected "National Gas Grid" shall support the wider supply and distribution of R-LNG throughout the nation. Indian natural gas pipeline network is less penetrated compared to the developed countries. At present, for every million population only about 12.3 km of natural gas pipeline exists in India. India's 17,016 km of natural pipeline network is insufficient to connect all demand centers. Therefore, the government wants to develop a pan-India natural gas grid of 32,559 km, which can address the existing regional disparities of the natural gas pipeline network. A fully functional national gas grid will improve natural gas accessibility throughout India.

As per the data available on the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell website the average capacity utilization of natural gas pipelines stood at 54% during


#### **Table 3.**

*India's natural gas grid (as on June 30, 2020).*

*Role of Natural Gas in India: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101346*

2018–2019. Only nine pipelines had capacity utilization above 50% and Dahej-Vijaipur (DVPL)-Vijaipur-Dadri (GREP) pipeline had a capacity utilization of 67% and Dabhol-Bengaluru Pipeline (Including spur) had 8% capacity utilization. Most of the existing pipelines are underutilized and the operators are trying to enhance the productivity of the pipelines. Pipeline Infrastructure Limited, now the owner of East-West Pipeline has decided to inject green hydrogen into its pipeline, which will help improving the capacity utilization of the pipeline.
