The first liquefied natural gas plant at Dahej in Gujarat will be commissioned on February 9, 2004, said Ram Naik, Union Minister for Petroleum.

In his inaugural address at the Second Asian Gas Buyers' Summit 2004 in Mumbai, Naik said that the first LNG ship Disha carrying 1,38,000 cubic metres of LNG has already reached Dahej and is now in 'cooling before the first LNG is charged into the pipeline on February 9.'

The consignment was imported by Petronet LNG and reached Dahej on January 30.

Naik pointed out that the GAIL is expanding the HBJ pipeline between Hazira and Vijapur  and laying a new pipeline between Dahej and Uran, near Mumbai to evacuate the gas. On the Petroleum Regulatory Bill, Naik said it was ready.

However, it was not cleared by the Lok Sabha "with the elections round the corner, government cannot take any policy decision." He was optimist that the Vajpayee-led government would discuss in Lok Sabha after it wins elections and comes into power.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani chairman and managing director of RIL, on the sidelines of the second Asian Gas Buyers' Summit told media persons  here that they maintain the same reserve of 14 trillion cubic feet of gas at the Krishna Godavari basin, off Andhra Pradesh coast.

However, he pointed out that "we will be putting our estimates (fresh) on our website within two weeks." Niko Resources, RIL's partner with 10 per cent equity in the block had stated that the reservoir consultant DeGolyer and MacNaughton (D&M) had made an arithmetical error in its reserve estimate report and indicated that the "in-place" reserve stood at 8.6 trillion cubic feet.

While addressing the summit earlier, Ambani said: "A major shift from oil to gas is in the making and 2005  will probably see the debut of a genuine gas to liquids industry."

On the supply side, Ambani said that situation is set to change in the gas reserves with significant gas discoveries in South Asia and South East Asia. "Bangladesh, Myanmar and India will be leading this frontier," he added.

He pointed out that "India is endowed with gas hydrates resources both on the east and west coasts. Exploiting this will call for research and investment in resource characterisation, production technology, safety studies and sea floor stability."

He said "there are many technical and economic issues to be surmounted before gas from gas hydrates can be produced. nevertheless, I am highlighting gas hydrates to underscore the point that the future of energy belongs to gas."

Proshanto Banerjee, chairman and managing director of GAIL in his welcome address said "This summit assumes significance from the perspective o the developments that are taking place in the world gas market.

The current trend indicates increasing inter-regional gas trades, with Asia driving the demand supported by growing import dependence of North America and Europe."