Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb. 7 inaugurated the 348-km Dobhi-Durgapur natural gas pipeline built by GAIL India, according to the Press Trust of India. As a result, Essar Oil and Gas E&P Ltd. (EOGEPL) plans to ratchet up gas production at its Raniganj East Coal Bed Methane Block in West Bengal to serve the pipeline and also idled urea producer Matix Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd. in Durgapur, West Bengal.
Matix commissioned its 1.3 million mt/y urea plant in 2017 (GM Oct. 6, 2017). However, it was eventually taken down due to a lack of feedstock. According to the Matix website, the plant has been well preserved and will be ready to restart as early as April 2021.