Vedanta’s mining unit Cairn Oil & Gas plans to convert a pipeline that ships crude oil from its prolific Rajasthan oilfields to Gujarat to solar power by 2025.
The company said that in a bid to turn Mangala pipeline to solar, it will install solar rooftop PVs in all the 36 Above Ground Installations (AGIs) along the pipeline. The pipeline is the world’s longest continuously heated and insulated pipeline that runs from oilfields of Rajasthan to refineries in Gujarat — traversing 705 km.
“In line with its decarbonisation commitment to reduce carbon footprint, Cairn is cutting dependence on more polluting sources of power and setting an important precedent in the industry,” the statement said. “The goal is to shift the complete AGI load to solar energy and make our world’s longest continuously heated and insulated hydrocarbon carrying pipeline a greener and more efficient resource.”
Before this, the power for AGI operations in the midstream location in Gujarat was fully imported from the state electricity board and its predominantly coal-based power which comes with a much higher greenhouse gas emission intensity.
The firm has already installed a total of 13 AGIs with 15 kilowatt solar rooftop capacity to reduce about 270 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission per year.
Prachur Sah, Deputy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas, said, “The Mangala pipeline has been a great asset for Cairn Oil & Gas. Its unique technology has allowed the transportation of waxy crude from our Rajasthan fields to refineries in Gujarat.”
“It has been a testimony of industry-leading practices, and now its conversion to solar power is pioneering yet another first for the oil and gas industry. “We look forward to several more years of successful production from Barmer and the Mangala pipeline will be the backbone of sustaining our ambitions.”
In line with the country’s ambitious goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, Cairn Oil & Gas has committed to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050.
“For this, the company has created a robust ESG road map with a slew of diverse initiatives – the first in the country’s oil and gas sector to take this step. In fact, Cairn’s decision to convert its much-celebrated Mangala pipeline into a fully solar-operated pipeline flows from this ESG vision,” the statement added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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