By Admin 
- India-Oman 2000 km deep-sea pipeline proposed for energy security.
- 3400 meter deep pipeline will reduce gas import cost.
- Supply will be stabilized by reducing dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
- India will play an important role in achieving the 2030 energy target.
Hormuz Strait Blockade: A 2000 km long deep-sea pipeline (South Asia Gas Enterprise- SAGE) is proposed between India’s Gujarat and Oman, which can prove to be a game-changer for India’s energy security. Through this ambitious project, to be built at an estimated cost of about 5 billion dollars (about 41000 crores), a gas pipeline will be laid under the Arabian Sea from Ras Al Jafand in Oman to Mundra Port in Gujarat.
World’s deepest gas pipeline
This gas pipeline will pass at a depth of 3400 meters (3.4 kilometers) below the sea surface, making it one of the most challenging deep sea pipelines in the world. Through this pipeline, 31 million metric standard cubic meters (MMSCMD) of natural gas can be supplied to India every day.
Currently, India imports gas through LNG ships, which is very expensive. Getting gas through pipeline will result in huge savings of about $2-3 per mmBtu in import expenditure.
How important is this project for India?
India is largely dependent on imports for its energy needs. A large part of these imports come from Gulf countries and reach India through the Strait of Hormuz. It is a narrow sea route, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Any disruption in this route could have an immediate impact on global energy markets, affecting shipping costs, fuel prices and supply chains.
Recent tensions in West Asia have once again highlighted how risky it can be to depend on just one sea route. Rapid fluctuations in LNG prices and concerns over the safety of shipping have renewed interest in alternatives that could provide greater stability of supply.
Unlike LNG imports—which require the gas to be liquified, transported by tanker, and regasified upon arrival—natural gas can travel directly from its source to its destination via pipeline. Experts say that this can reduce the risk of disruptions affecting maritime trade routes.
India’s goal of clean energy
India wants to increase the contribution of natural gas in its energy share from 6% to 15% by 2030 and the pipeline project will prove helpful for India in achieving this goal.
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