Shell completes acquisition of Hazira LNG and port venture.

Shell Gas B.V., a subsidiary of global energy giant Royal Dutch Shell Plc,recently announced that it has completed acquisition of 26 per cent equity interest in the Hazira LNG and port venture from French energy player Total Gaz Electricite Holdings.

The development brings Shell’s equity interest in the LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal and port on the coast of Gujarat to 100 per cent now.

“The move allows Shell to build an integrated gas value chain, supply from its global LNG portfolio, regasify at the Hazira facility and sell to downstream customer,” the company said in a statement.

In August last year, the gas major had announced plans to acquire 26 per cent stake from Total. The financials of the deal were not revealed.

Strategically, the 100-per cent ownership of the LNG and the port venture will enable Shell to contribute towards India’s long-term need for more and cleaner energy solutions.

“Having commercial and operational flexibility over Hazira will further enable Shell to offer better customer value propositions and build a pan-India gas business,” the statement added.

“Fifteen years ago, Shell invested in the Hazira project – the single largest foreign direct investment for India in the energy sector at the time. I am very proud that as a 100 per cent shareholder, we will now be able to utilise this great infrastructure asset to its full potential and help provide much needed gas to serve the growing energy needs of India,” said Ajay Shah, Vice President, Shell Energy Asia.

Shell Energy India was established in 2017, to aggregate demand from downstream customers and secure competitive international supply to meet such demand.

HBL