Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Indian Oil Approves ₹2,448.70 Crore Southern Gas Pipeline
Indian Oil Corporation plans to build a natural-gas pipeline in southern India.
The pipeline will connect Kochi with Thoothukudi through the Kanyakumari region.
It will be about 425 kilometres long.
The company has approved ₹2,448.70 crore for the project.
The pipeline could carry 6.84 million standard cubic metres of gas each day.
Some of that capacity will be available for other eligible companies to use.
The pipeline is expected to help supply gas to industries and city-gas networks in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
It may also help Petronet LNG use more of its Kochi terminal, but construction still needs required approvals.
Indian Oil Corporation approved ₹2,448.70 crore for the Kochi-Kanyakumari-Thoothukudi natural-gas pipeline.
The pipeline will span 424.65 kilometres, or approximately 425 kilometres, between Kochi and Thoothukudi.
Indian Oil Corporation will lay, build and operate the pipeline.
The system will have total transportation capacity of 6.84 million standard cubic metres per day, including at least 1.71 million standard cubic metres per day for common-carrier use.
The project is intended to improve gas supply in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and increase utilisation of Petronet LNG’s Kochi terminal, but requires statutory clearances.
- Who
- Indian Oil Corporation approved the project and will lay, build and operate the pipeline; Petronet LNG’s Kochi terminal is expected to benefit.
- What
- A ₹2,448.70 crore, 424.65-kilometre natural-gas pipeline with capacity of 6.84 million standard cubic metres per day.
- When
- The Indian Oil Corporation board approved the project on September 21, 2026.
- Where
- The pipeline will run from Kochi in Kerala to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, through the Kanyakumari region, and connect with Indian Oil Corporation’s existing network at Thoothukudi.
- Why
- It is intended to improve gas supply to industries and city-gas networks, connect demand centres, and increase utilisation of Petronet LNG’s Kochi terminal.
- Project cost
- ₹2,448.70 crore
- Route length
- 424.65 kilometres, approximately 425 kilometres
- Route
- Kochi–Kanyakumari–Thoothukudi
- Total capacity
- 6.84 million standard cubic metres per day
- Common-carrier capacity
- At least 1.71 million standard cubic metres per day
- Project operator
- Indian Oil Corporation
- Project status
- Board-approved and subject to statutory clearances; no completion or commissioning date was disclosed
- Kochi terminal utilisation
- Petronet LNG’s Kochi terminal had 26.3% capacity utilisation in FY26 and 23.27% in Q1 FY27
