GAIL (India) Limited (NSE:GAIL)
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Sep 21, 2026, 3:14 PM IST
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Q1 21/22

Aug 5, 2021

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to the GAIL Limited Q1 FY 2022 earnings conference call hosted by Yes Securities. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during the conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star and zero on your touch-tone telephone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Nitin Tiwari from Yes Securities. Thank you, over to you, sir..

Nitin Tiwari
Lead Analyst, Yes Securities

Thank you, Karuna. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of Yes Securities, I welcome everyone to GAIL Limited's first quarter FY 2022 earnings call. Today we have the pleasure of having with us the senior management team from GAIL Limited, led by Director Finance, Shri A.K. Tiwari. I will now hand over the call to the management for their opening comments, which shall be followed by a question and answer session. Over to you, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Good afternoon, my dear friends from investors and analyst community connected through Webex. A very good afternoon. Welcome to the GAIL earnings call Q1 FY 2022. Thank you all for taking your precious time and showing keen interest in the results and performance outlook of GAIL. We have declared the results of the first quarter and the year 2021/2022 earlier today, and I'm sure that you must have got the opportunity to go through it. I will give you a very brief insight of the company's performance for the quarter ending 30th June 2021. Due to localized restrictions and lockdowns imposed by the various state governments to curb the impact of second wave of COVID-19, the demand in certain pockets were slightly impacted in the quarter as compared to the March quarter.

The performance is much better as compared to Q1 of the last financial year when we witnessed a nationwide lockdown. I will share about the physical performance for the Q1 FY 2022 versus Q4 FY 2021. Gas marketing stood at 95.95 MMSCMD in Q1 FY 2022, as against 91.37 MMSCMD in Q4 FY 2021, increase of 5%. The natural gas transmission stood at 107.66 MMSCMD in Q1 FY 2022, as against 109.75 MMSCMD in Q4 FY 2021, decrease of 2%.

The capacity utilization decreased to 52% in Q1 FY 2022 as against 53% in Q4 FY 2021. Polymer production stood at 133 TMT in Q1 FY 2022 as against 224 TMT in Q4 FY 2021, which is decline of 41%. The decline was mainly attributable to the maintenance activities during the quarter. The plant is now running at full capacity. We are confident to achieve 100% production capacity on a full year basis.

The polymer sales stood at 138 TMT in Q1 FY2022. Similarly, the LPG sales stood at 250 TMT in Q1 FY2022, and LPG transmission stood at 1,023 TMT in Q1 FY2022. Now I would like to give the financial highlights. GAIL achieved gross turnover of INR 17,352 crore in the current quarter as against INR 15,472 crore in Q4 FY2021. Increase of 12%, mainly due to increase in the natural gas marketing volume, higher natural gas prices, higher LHC prices, which is around INR 2,500 per metric ton, and higher petrochemical prices, which is around INR 4,500 per metric ton. However, this was partly set off due to the lower sales quantity and polymer and marginal reduction in the natural gas transmission volume, which I have already explained. The profit reported stood at INR 2,054 crore in Q1 FY2022, and as against INR 2,612 crore in Q4 FY2021.

The gas marketing segment has shown a robust performance, which increased to 33%. PBT was INR 1,530 crore in Q1 FY22 as against INR 1,908 crore in Q4 FY21. I will talk about the consolidated financial results, Q1 versus Q4 FY21. The turnover in Q1 FY22 is INR 17,551 crore as against INR 15,677 crore in Q4 FY22. The PBT was INR 2,540 crore. Against INR 3,219 crore, and the PAT INR 2,138 crore as against INR 2,407 crore. During the quarter, GAIL received 23 LNG cargo from U.S., 14 from Sabine Pass, and nine from DCP, as per the cargo plan. The total 15 cargos were sold in the overseas market, and the remaining were brought to India, either directly or through destination swap.

On CGD front, GAIL is supplying gas to all six CGDs with infrastructure of eight CNG stations and more than 136,000 PNG connections with a cumulative CapEx of INR 832 crores. GAIL Gas, which is 100% subsidiary of GAIL, during Q1 FY 2022, the gross turnover stood at INR 1,212 crores. If you talk about the CapEx plan, as I have already informed number of times that in the coming four to five years, we have around 8,000 km of pipelines which are there, including the JVs and subsidiaries which are associated with GAIL, and around INR 40,000 crores of the CapEx which are there. These CapEx plans are being achieved mainly on the various pipeline projects. Srikakulam-Angul pipeline, 744 km with an investment of INR 2,700 crores, and the completion is July 2022.

Dhamra-Haldia pipeline, 240 km, investment of INR 1,200 crores, completion in November 2022. Mumbai-Jharsuguda pipeline, 1,755 km, investment is INR 7,800 crores. Gas pipeline infrastructure in the northeast states, 1,650 km, investment INR 9,300 crores. Vijaipur-Auraiya, 174 km, is already commissioned. Dhamra-Angul, Bokaro-Angul, Durgapur-Haldia, Barauni-Guwahati, all these pipelines which are there are under active execution plan, and we are doing. Far as Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Yojana pipelines are concerned, our total commitment is INR 14,916 crores, and our actual CapEx is around INR 11,600 crores. We have been receiving the capital grant from the government on regular basis, and till that, we have received the capital grant of INR 4,487 crores.

I have already told that GAIL, along with the JVs, is executing various pipeline projects of 8,000 kilometers, incurring around INR 38,000 crore-INR 40,000 crore. Far as the CSR plans are concerned, various programs on health and sanitization, education, skill development. We are doing more than 2% of our profit on the CSR projects. Our plants have run safe, and we have ensured that the safe operation is there. We have 0 major reportable incident during the last four years, and we are monitoring our HSE performance regularly, and all our efforts are being taken. We are also taking various initiatives on the digitization, which adds satisfaction to the employees as well as the vendors, customers, contractors, suppliers, and all, including our retired employees. We are having various initiatives for satisfaction or for taking care of the stakeholders through our various initiatives.

We have also taken various measures during this pandemic situation and taken various welfare measures to our employees as well as to our retired employees. That way, 360 degree stakeholder management we are trying to have. This was a brief introduction on the financial results and major highlights of the company. My team is here. I would be happy for your questions, and we'll be happy to reply for that. Over to you.

Operator

We can take the Q&A now, the question and answer session.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Sure.

Operator

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin the question and answer session. Thank you. The first question is from the line of Probal Sen from Centrum Broking. Please go ahead.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Thank you very much, sir, for your time. Am I audible, sir?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes, yes, please go ahead.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Yeah. Sir, on the Petchem, you mentioned that despite the, obviously the decline that has happened in this quarter, you are confident of achieving full capacity utilization for the full year. Just wanted to understand, does that imply that for the full year, we should still assume overall volumes to touch close to 800,000 tons despite the shortage in this quarter, sir?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes. See, every year there is an annual maintenance.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Okay

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

which we normally take after close of the account year.

April, May or June.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Right.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

In the month of April, we took the opportunity of this pandemic situation, and we also closed our, means we had our maintenance also, regular maintenance also. That way, we completed our maintenance. That's why the production was less. We are more than 100%, means confident to achieve more than 100% of the plant production. Be assured.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Got it, sir. That's very useful. The second question was with respect to transmission volumes. Obviously, we have seen, as you mentioned in the first comment, that the lockdown did impact demand in certain pockets, and there was a small QoQ decline that we saw in volumes for this quarter. Earlier, if I remember, sir, you had given guidance of around I think 5, 6 MMSCMD improvement in overall numbers for FY 2022. Do you think there is a need to revise that guidance, sir, as of now?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No. Actually, what happened, our own volume was up, but shippers' volume, the volume which are being transported by other entities was less.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Sure. Right.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

That was the reason of the volume. Otherwise, the performance, that way, the transmission segment was good.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Against 104 odd MMSCMD that we, sir, did in FY 2021, we still maintain our broad guidance of around 110, 111 average levels for FY 2022.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

It will be more than that because our own volumes are getting increased with the upcoming fertilizer plants, which are already there and which may consume gradually the volume of around 8 to 12 MMSCMD. That is going to add the volume, not only in the transmission segment, but also in the trading segment. That way, we are confident to achieve more than 110.

Probal Sen
Analyst, Centrum Broking

Great. Sir, one last question if I may. On the trading front, obviously the numbers continue to do better given what we have seen of spot LNG prices versus U.S. prices. In this quarter, that is Q2, I'm saying, that trend has improved even more. Is that a fair way to look that profitability should continue to expand even more from the current quarter levels for the trading segment?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

It will be much better. Yes. Hello?

Operator

Sir, the current participant is moved out of the queue. We will move to the next question.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Operator

That's from the line of Amit Rastogi from UBS. Please go ahead.

Amit Rastogi
Analyst, UBS

Sir, congratulations for such a strong performance despite a very tough operating environment. My question pertains to any update on the fertilizer plants, if you have taken, and what is the volume we will do in the Urja Ganga project in this year and next year?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

See, in the Urja Ganga pipeline projects, our Sindri, Gorakhpur, these fertilizer plants which are coming up, the volume growth will be around 8- 10 MMSCMD in a gradual manner. Commissioning of these Gorakhpur plants and Sindri plants and other plants are actively being planned. In this financial year, it will be 8-1 0 MMSCMD growth will be there.

Amit Rastogi
Analyst, UBS

Okay. Sir, when spot LNG prices are touching $14, you think that it hurts our Petchem profitability as well because we import lot of natural gas as a feedstock for the petrochemical business. Do we get any benefit of higher LNG prices in our trading business right now? Are we booking more volumes for the next year, or do we have any cargoes to be sold for this year?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Number one question is your petrochemical pricing are concerned. We are not dependent on the spot, means cargoes or spot prices. We have mixed portfolio and which are better for the petrochemical plants. We supply the gas of that portfolio only. That way, as you know, we have U.S. volume, we have Gazprom, we have the spot also. We have so many sources. That way we optimize and we also have that portfolio being used for the petrochemical. That, I think with the current prices of petrochemical and with the market condition, we are going to have better realization in the petrochemical.

Amit Rastogi
Analyst, UBS

Okay. Sir, what about the impact of higher LNG prices on our trading portfolio? Do we get any substantial profitability in this year or next year because of higher JKM prices?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Sure. Whatever the portfolio is there on the indexation differences as well as the prices which are there, the volume which are there, the strategy we have, including our destination swap as well as the hedging, certainly it is going to increase.

Amit Rastogi
Analyst, UBS

Okay, Sir. Thank you, Sir. Sir, wish you all the best. I wish everyone stay safe. Thank you, Sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Siddharth Gundecha from ICICI Securities. Please go ahead.

Speaker 17

Yeah. Thank you. Good afternoon to all. My first question is regarding the first quarter gas trading. Just wanted to ask that in first quarter, you had stated on your last earnings call that some volumes were tied up when oil prices were lower. Was a higher proportion of trading volume in first quarter tied up when oil prices were lower? Will that proportion reduce as we go from Q2, Q3, Q4?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

See, that way I can't answer your point because each cargo, its own strategy.

Which are tied up, which are being sold in the international market or which are having destination swap as well as so many other things are there. That way an answer can't be.

Speaker 17

No, sir, where I'm coming from is-

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No, let me finish.

Speaker 17

Yeah. Please.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

I would like to just inform to the all investors including you, that we'll be doing better as we have done prior to, means previous years also. We'll be doing better in the gas marketing segment.

Speaker 17

Previous years means, sir, when you are saying previous, you are saying you are better than your best year, which is FY 2019?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

FY 2019, FY 2018, FY 2019.

Speaker 17

Yeah. You will do better than that also, you are saying?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes.

Speaker 17

Okay.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

See my confidence speaks for itself.

Speaker 17

Sir, what I was trying to understand is that as oil prices were moving up, you must have been more keen to first tie up volumes even when oil prices were somewhat lower for first quarter. You may not have been in so much hurry to tie up volumes for Q2, Q3, Q4, and that is where my question was that, was larger proportion of it tied up when oil prices were, let's say, 54, 55 or something, the futures? Are smaller proportion of volumes in Q2, Q3 tied up when oil prices were low? That was my question, but if you don't want to answer that's fine.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No, I will answer that. For four years I have been giving you answers. You listen to me, your fear has always been there, and I have always tried to tell you that we are doing better, and the results are also coming better. What more can I tell you?

Speaker 17

Sir, I am probably one of the most bullish guys for this year and next year, if you see my reports. That is where I'm coming from. That is where I'm coming from, that the first quarter performance was lower than my expectation. Which is where I was trying to understand.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No, that was a little pandemic or other things might have infected, our strategy could have been, hedging could have been. There is a mix, a little volume is there, but this quarter, Q2 onwards will be better.

Speaker 17

The spot LNG spread for Q2, Q3, Q4 is much better. Will that be one of the key factors which will help you do much better going forward?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes.

Speaker 17

Lastly, basically in your numbers, if you see, you have a gas marketing number, one in standalone and one on consol, which in the last two quarters, the consol number is higher. Is that what you capture incrementally in conso? Is it your Singapore or other entity, marketing entities outside India?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. That consol includes that also.

Speaker 17

That is the number one should look at?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Speaker 17

Okay.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you.

Speaker 17

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Pinakin Parekh from JP Morgan. Please go ahead.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Yeah. Thank you. My first question is, can you give us a sense of what was the blended gas cost in the petchem business, and how it will trend over the next two to three quarters? We have a situation where spot LNG prices are surging and could even move higher, and crude is also surging. Just to understand the petchem business profitability.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

See, with the current prices and with the portfolio we have, we'll optimize the profitability of petchem.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Sir, the profitability of petchem should stay at these levels or come up because gas prices are increasing and headline PE prices are flat. Volumes will increase, but will the profitability per ton improve?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We have a mixed portfolio of different gases, different portfolio of sourcing also. That way we'll optimize the sourcing of gas for the petrochemical.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Understood, sir. Fair enough.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Our profitability will be of the last year level or more better than that.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Understood, sir. My second question is.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

With the prices trend as we have seen this INR 95,000 or so per metric ton, expected to go up.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Understood. My second question is basically on gas demand in India. After two to three years, spot gas prices are surging, and we are still not yet in the peak season of tightness. Food prices are high. A substantial part of India's gas demand is met via spot LNG imports. In that context, sir, should we see some kind of softness in India's overall gas demand? Related to that, sir, when you are talking about the fertilizer plants starting up, what is the gas source for the fertilizer plants? Will they be buying spot LNG, or have they already tied up for crude link contracts?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

So far as the GAIL is concerned, we have long-term contracts. We will be giving the gases or the supplies to the fertilizer plants through our long-term contracts, which is already there as per the agreement. So far as the spot prices are concerned, the spot market is concerned, that we'll see wherever the optimization is there, wherever the requirement is there, we will do. We have substantial volume, which has been tied up on the long-term basis. We are not dependent on the spot market. Certainly, we take advantage of the spot prices, better spot prices, for optimization of the profitability or selling in the international market or whatever the situation comes.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Understood. Sir, overall, do you think that gas demand in India could be softer over the next couple of quarters, given where spot energy prices are?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Because these fertilizer plants are coming, CGDs are coming, naturally, the demand is there. Demand for the gas sector is going to increase. That is obvious.

Pinakin Parekh
Analyst, JP Morgan

Understood. Thank you very much, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sabari Hajra from Emkay Global. Please go ahead.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

Yeah, good afternoon, sir. Sir, basically, what we understand is that your U.S. LNG is actually a part of your portfolio, which is blended in to various kinds of gas, and it is sold in India based on certain formula, so under certain long-term contracts. This formula is largely oil-linked. In a way, the large portion of your marketing margin is dependent on the difference between oil-linked LNG and Henry Hub-linked LNG. Is that the right assessment?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No, not fully, because then we have also the portfolio which has contracted volume with the consumers also. That way it has also. It's not only the indexation difference between the Henry Hub and the Brent link. There are other factors also.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

Okay. The formula, you are saying, will be different for different customers. You are saying it may not be like a vanilla indexation.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

Is that right?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

And-

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We are optimizing in all the, wherever is there, we have margins, and then we tie up with that.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

Right. Considering that Henry Hub prices have gone up significantly in the last three, four months, I think it is at $4.1, $4.2 now. Is it having any impact on your gas volumes in gas margins in particular because of this increase? Or you are still protected, depending on what kind of contracts you have?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Indexation difference is favorable to us.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

You consider the current increase in global gas prices not to have any adverse impact on your gas marketing portfolio?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No.

Sabari Hajra
Analyst, Emkay Global

Okay, sir. No, that's all. That's all from my side. Thank you.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Varatharajan Sivasankaran from Antique Limited. Please go ahead.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

Thank you for the opportunity. One on GAIL Gas, what you mentioned in terms of the number of CNG stations, can you repeat it, sir? What is the volumes you are doing currently?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

GAIL Gas. You are talking about the GAIL Gas or our own CGD?

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

GAIL Gas as well as your CGDs, what is the number of stations you have currently, and what kind of volumes are you doing?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

GAIL Gas volumes. Just one minute. You tell him. Just one minute. Yeah. In the GAIL Gas, we have more than 6 lakh 75,000 DPNG connections and 253 CNG stations. At present, we are having the total sale more than 5.5 MMSCMD . It is not only the CNG and PNG. There are other bulk customers also.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

Thank you, sir. Your own CGD, you mentioned some numbers.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah, please.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

You have mentioned something about your own CGDs. 6 CGDs.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Six CGDs. Yeah, six CGDs. We have around 80 CNG stations, 1 lakh 36,000 DPNG connections. We have invested around INR 832 crores. Since some of the cities are to be connected through our grid, our JHBDPL grid, once that is connected, more and more volume will increase. It will take some time.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

Yes. This 80 stations is what you mentioned, sir. 80?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

80. CNG station.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

Okay. Very nice, sir. My second question is on your LNG offtake contracts with various terminals, if you can share some details as to what is the existing contracts you have?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

LNG contracts with the various suppliers, you want to say?

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

With terminals in India. Regas terminals in offtake arrangements.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Regas terminal.

Speaker 18

Dahej has got 4.5, Kochi is 0.43, and we have one more agreement with Dhamra, and Dhamra is 1.5 MMTPA. Dabhol is going to be the 5 MMTPA terminal that is fully operated by us. Kattupalli is 2 MMTPA.

Varatharajan Sivasankaran
Analyst, Antique

Very much. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Mayank Maheshwari from Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Thank you for the call, sir. Just two questions from my end. One was in terms of your LPG volumes. They have recovered very well now. Is it fair to say that most of the gas supply issues of ONGC are largely behind us now?

Operator

Sir, over to you, and we have Mayank Maheshwari in the question queue from Morgan Stanley.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Should I just repeat my question?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. Please do.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Yeah. Sir, I was just checking on the LPG volumes. They have recovered very well for you this quarter. Are we kind of thinking that most of the issues that we had from supply from ONGC, that's largely behind us now?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. There's no such, you are talking about the LPG or what?

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Yes. LPG, liquid, and hydrocarbon sales have kind of recovered very well in the first quarter.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. That is sorted out. Okay.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

That should now kind of come up at the current run rates now going forward, correct?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. Almost there. Near to that.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Okay. The second question was more related to your cost on the petchem side because of the maintenance. Can you just kind of help us understand what would be the potential cost that you have booked in for this quarter on petchem?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Potential cost related to maintenance?

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Yeah, any cost that you've booked in this quarter, which is extraordinary?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No. That is routine type of maintenance is there. Annual maintenance, always plant maintenance are there. That is always there.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

No significant one-off cost.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Any major cost is not there. It is routine type of maintenance, oil and other things which are there, and many equipment are to be repaired, something like that is there.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Okay.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

There is no major one-off.

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Okay.

Operator

Mr. Maheshwari, you done with your question?

Mayank Maheshwari
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Yeah, I'm done.

Operator

Thank you, sir. The next question is from the line of Puneet from HSBC. Please go ahead.

Speaker 16

Yeah, thanks for the opportunity. Sir, can you give some color on what is the status of the four fertilizer plants which are likely to commission and to draw cash from you?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

So far as the four fertilizer plants are there, about the Ramagundam Fertilizer, which is already commissioned. HURL Gorakhpur plant is ready, and the volume is 1.87 MMSCMD, and they will take full volume by end of this year. HURL plant is ready. Pre-commissioning activity is under progress, and the volume is 1.87 MMSCMD. HURL Sindri, again, the plant is ready. They will take full by May 2022, and the pre-commissioning supply will come in this month only. These are the status of these four fertilizer plants.

Speaker 16

Cumulatively, how much are they taking right now, and what will they take at peak?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Peak will be 10-12 MMSCMD. Gradually it will increase, but by May 2022, I think full volume will come.

Speaker 16

Currently, how much should we add up to all these four?

Speaker 18

Currently around 2.5.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Currently, taken together, 2.5. Around 2.5.

Speaker 16

Okay. This is it. Thank you.

Yeah. My second question is, if you look at the total gas demand for the country, X of these new fertilizer plants and the new CGDs, do you foresee a risk of demand going down, or do you think the demand for gas will tell us that it's right to take additional gas even with higher prices?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Demand will be up. Certainly, 6%-8% or 8%-10% growth will be there, I expect, the coming CGDs which are there, with the coming fertilizer I have already told.

Speaker 16

Yeah. Excluding these. Excluding the new sources of demand.

Speaker 18

What you are telling is that because LNG prices have gone up, would the demand still grow?

Speaker 16

Yeah. Are you seeing any discussion with your customers?

Speaker 18

From the supply side, we've got different type of gases. Some of them are not LNG, and they are still at reasonable prices, and that is why Director Finance is telling that the demand will still grow.

Speaker 16

Okay.

Speaker 18

5%-7% is our estimate. The national figure, the macro level figure that we are talking about.

Speaker 16

Understood. Okay. My last question is, if you can comment a bit on the other income. The other income was slightly softer. What elements were missing this time?

Speaker 18

Interest income.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Other income comprised mainly of.

Speaker 18

Vivad Se Vishwas provision .

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

In Q1?

Speaker 18

Q1. Come Q1.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We have received the refund from our tax department.

Speaker 18

In Q4.

In Q4, on account of our interest and other things. We have settled Vivad Se Vishwas . Therefore, in Q4, tax has come down.

Speaker 16

Okay.

Yeah, even compared to Q1 FY 2021, it's lower.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Q1 FY 2021.

Speaker 16

Yeah, it was INR 241 crore, now it's about INR 197 crores.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

It was Q1 almost same, INR 212 crores versus INR 195 crores. Maybe INR 20 crores difference is there. Q1 FY 2021 versus Q1 FY 2021, not much of the difference is there.

Speaker 16

Yeah, again, it's down compared to Q2, Q3, Q4. All three quarters were exceedingly good. From INR 720 crore.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We have received the dividend and other things also.

Speaker 16

Okay. That didn't come through.

Speaker 18

Dividend and the income tax refund.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

These are there, yeah. Dividend as well as the refund from the income tax department. If you like, I will share the details also. There is no problem.

Speaker 16

Understood. Thank you so much. All the best.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Nafeesa Gupta from Bank of America. Please go ahead.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Good afternoon, sir. Sir, my question is on the LPG segment. We see substantially higher revenues than EBITDA. Is that only on account of higher LPG prices in this quarter despite lower sales, or is there anything else?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Prices are good. Hello?

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Yes, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Prices were better.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

That is the only reason?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Prices were there, some volume also.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Sir, the volumes are down Q-over-Q.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Price. Only prices. For the LPG, prices have gone around 51%, if you compare with the Q1 FY 2021. Which was around INR 28,987, and INR 29,000. It has jumped to INR 43,000 or so. That has impacted.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Right. Sir, if my understanding is correct, for the LPG prices, we do maintain a lag of one month to the international prices, right?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Almost. Can you repeat? Almost?

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Sir, for the LPG prices.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

We maintain a lag of one month to the international prices.

Speaker 18

No. It's a lag by one month as compared to the international prices.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Got it. Sir, could you, I mean, help us with the current transmission volumes in the pipelines? What would be the current rate if we compare with the Q1 levels?

Speaker 18

Hundred and-

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

110.

Speaker 18

The present gas transportation volume is about 115 million per day.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Around 115, yeah. 115.

Nafeesa Gupta
Analyst, Bank of America

Got it, sir. Thank you.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Maulik Patel from Equirus Securities. Please go ahead.

Maulik Patel
Analyst, Equirus Securities

Thanks for the opportunity, sir. Just one question. When is Dabhol getting completed for 5 million ton? What is the timeline there, sir?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Is December 2022. Next year we are planning, but I think December 2022, mechanically it will be completed, and we are expecting that March 2023, full operation will be there.

Maulik Patel
Analyst, Equirus Securities

Okay. Sir, in Dhamra, you mentioned that you have booked what, one and half million tons, right?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes.

Maulik Patel
Analyst, Equirus Securities

Okay. When is that is likely to be commissioned?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Next year, Q3.

Maulik Patel
Analyst, Equirus Securities

That will be by September, December of 2022, right?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Maulik Patel
Analyst, Equirus Securities

Thank you, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Yogesh Patil from Reliance Securities. Please go ahead.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Thanks for an opportunity, sir. Sir, I have a couple of questions. As we know, the Kochi-Mangalore Pipeline is commissioned and stabilized. How much volume we transmitted through this pipeline in this quarter, and how much ramp up do you expect in next one to two quarter?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

For Kochi-Mangalore, I think around 2 MMSCMD, 3 million. 3 MMSCMD has been transmitted.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Okay, any outlook for next one to two quarters or one year?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We expect to maintain this or grow by about INR 0.5 million-INR 1 million in next two to three quarters.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Okay.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

The other section, the section connecting Kerala to Bangalore through Tamil Nadu, that is under construction. That is the reason for this.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Okay, thanks. Second question is related to unified gas pipeline tariffs. Is there any development from the side of PNGRB, and have you heard anything, any updates from your side?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No. What was done, it is still with the PNGRB, and there is no movement for that.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Okay. The last question from my side, sir. Reliance is now producing close to 18 MMSCMD on a kind of a gas from KG Basin. How much gas is flowing through the GAIL pipeline? Can you give us a detail if you have? Sir, we are trying to figure out if Indian gas consumer switch from the costly LNG to a domestic growing cheap gas, then will you be able to maintain the same kind of a gas transmission volume or that share can be given to someone else like that? Just wanted to figure out how that 18 MMSCMD and how much share is flowing through your gas pipeline.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you. Presently, 4.5 MMSCMD is flowing through our pipeline, of which about more than about 1.25 MMSCMD is our volume, remaining is shipper's volume.

Yogesh Patil
Analyst, Reliance Securities

Okay. Thanks a lot, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Vidyadhar Ginde from ICICI Securities. Please go ahead.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Yeah, thank you. In the last earnings call, you had mentioned that for FY 2023, 50% of your trading volumes were tied up, 30% was tied up, but the positions had been kept open, and 20% was not tied up. Is the situation still the same or it has changed?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

For this financial year, we are fully tied up now.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Yeah, 2023, that is why I'm asking. Yeah.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

For FY 2023, you are asking?

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Yeah. You at last call said 60% tied up, 30% tied up.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Even for 2023, we have tied up all cargoes. I mean, they are allocated, which means.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Yeah, as of now.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We know where these cargoes will go, yeah.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Which was not the case when we did the last call. Is that correct?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Now, you yourself have told the market is looking up, so things have changed.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

You have between the last call and this call, tied up the balance also.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yes.

Vidyadhar Ginde
Analyst, ICICI Securities

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Participants, to ask a question, you may please press star and one on your touchtone telephone.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah.

Operator

We have the next question from the line of S. Ramesh from Nirmal Bang. Please go ahead.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Good evening, and thank you very much. We would like to get some update on the Konkan LNG in terms of any further investments required, and what is the kind of expectation on the revenue and profit after tax for this year on the current volumes, and what is the kind of growth you can expect in that business once it is fully operational, say, over the next two years?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Excuse me.

Speaker 18

Can you repeat what is it about?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

We could not get your question.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Yeah. basically, I'm asking you about the Konkan LNG investment you have. It's pretty much a subsidiary now for the Dabhol LNG terminal. last year you have turned the corner there and made a profit. what is the kind of outlook for the revenue and profit this year given the kind of pricing you're enjoying LNG? secondly, once the breakwater is commissioned and you are able to do the full volume, what is the kind of growth you can expect in the Konkan LNG business?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Yeah. For 5 MMTPA, this Dabhol terminal is there. 25%-30% is being utilized. Last year, we had done around 30 cargos, 32 cargos.

Speaker 18

32.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

32 cargos. When the breakwater will be operational as we are expecting December 2022 or maybe March 2023 also, total 80 cargos can come up. On an average, I can say around INR 2,400 crore of this revenue will be there.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

No further investment required for funding the CapEx?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No, whatever is committed, that is there, INR 700 crores to INR 800 crores. That for breakwater only.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Secondly, what is your take on your propane dehydrogenation project for polypropylene? Where are you and what is the kind of timeline you're looking at right now in the investment?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

This Usar plant

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Yeah.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

That around INR 9,800 crores or maybe INR 10,000 crores of the investment is there. We are expecting it will take 36 months, maybe three years from now, we can say.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

In terms of the project timeline, where are you? Have you done the feasibility study? Are you going to appoint a

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

That is done. Licensor we have done. We are in the process of awarding major equipment, suppliers and everything, even the propane sourcing, is under process.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

If I may ask a couple of questions there. One is on propane sourcing, what is the kind of contract or arrangement you have in terms of volumes and pricing? Secondly, who is the licensor for that process?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

I think we'll give update when it is concluded. licensor.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay, sir. Thank you. I'm done.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

U-A-U-W-I-C.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Manikanta Garre from Axis Capital. Please go ahead.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

Hi, sir. Good evening. Just a couple of questions from my side. The first one is, you said the fertilizer plants are currently taking 2.5 MMSCMD. When did this start, sir? Is it from the middle of Q1 or in Q2?

Speaker 18

This 2.2-2.5 is the consumption of Ramagundam plant, which is online. 0.1 is the consumption of Gorakhpur. What Director Finance had informed is that Gorakhpur will go to full load, which is about 2.1-2.2 MMSCMD by December. Sindri and Barauni will go to full load by mid-next year, though their commissioning will start this month. That is what Director Finance had told. Matix is likely to start offtake by next month. They will start actually this month, but that will be commissioning period since it is already a plant which had run in the past. That is how we are expecting the full buildup of fertilizer volumes in coming months.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

I understand, sir. What I'm asking is when is the first set of volumes started being taken by the Ramagundam plant actually in Q2?

Speaker 18

Ramagundam plant started consumption in July 2020. That is the commissioning phase, and because of COVID, they had some labor problem and all that. Now they have come to full load. This is what I want to inform you.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

I understand.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

At Ramagundam.

Speaker 18

March.

Now it is full load.

It is full load. They have commissioned, they have declared commercial operation in March, 23rd March, in fact. After that, they are now consuming more than 2 million cubic meter per day.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

Right, sir. My last question is, when do we expect your next set of pipeline tariff revisions? I'm asking in the context of new public consultation documents being web-hosted by PNGRB. I understand that quorum is not there. If you can provide some guidance there.

Speaker 18

Which pipeline you're talking about?

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

I think Dabhol-Bangalore and-

Speaker 18

Tariff

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

Vijayawada Dabhol.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No. Dabhol Bangalore KKNPL tariff was revised sometime in 2018, 2019. In terms of tariff order, the tariff will again be revised in 2022 or 2023.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

The new public consultation documents which are being web hosted now, we are expecting that to come up only in 2022?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

I don't think any public consultation document has been web hosted.

Speaker 18

They are not for GAIL tariff, GAIL pipeline tariff.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

No pipeline tariff. There is no public consultation at present for any of the pipeline tariff.

Speaker 18

No, you may be referring to the pipeline EOI that we have listing for Swan LNG connectivity to Dahej. That is one proposal being considered as of now.

Manikanta Garre
Analyst, Axis Capital

Sure, sir. I'll check and come back. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of S. Ramesh from Nirmal Bang. Please go ahead.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Thank you very much. In the GAIL Gas business, you reported a volume of 5.5 MMSCMD. When do you think these volumes will reflect in the margin and profit we see in other city gas companies like, say, Mahanagar Gas or Indraprastha Gas? What is the timeline and what is the kind of growth you expect in these volumes, say, over the next two to three years?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

For GAIL Gas you are talking?

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Yeah.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

As number of PNG, CNG connections are there, number of GAs they have. We expect that around 10% growth will be there.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

It's not reflecting in your profit numbers. The question I'm asking is, if you compare with other CNG companies, when do you think you'll be able to increase the margins and returns? Given the kind of scale you've already built up at 5 MMSCMD, do you think it will make a difference in terms of the profitability of the business over scale?

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

There are two types of sales they are doing. One is a bulk sale also. That is not for the CNG and PNG connections. Total volume of 5.5 MMSCMD is there. So far as the PNG and CNG connections are there, that is in the growing stage, and we expect that it will grow in the coming years.

S. Ramesh
Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Look for the generation-

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, due to paucity of time, that was the last question. I now hand the conference over to the management for their closing comments. Over to you, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Hello.

Operator

Yeah. Over to you for closing comments, sir.

Shri A.K. Tiwari
Director Finance, GAIL

Thank you very much. Thank you, and thank you, Nitin and team. I think we have tried to give all the answers which has been asked. I request if some of the questions might not have been answered, as well as some of the investors want more detailed answer of any of the queries which they have, they can contact me as well as my team, and we'll be happy to provide the answer to any of the queries which are there. Thank you once again. Thank you very much to the entire team. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Thank you, members of the management. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Yes Securities, that concludes this conference call. Thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines.