GAIL is planning to more than double the capacity of its LNG terminal at Dabhol, Maharashtra, and build new terminals in the country to tap opportunities expected to emerge from the future growth in gas imports.

The nation's largest natural gas marketer and transporter plans to raise the capacity of its Dabhol terminal to 12 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) in a phased manner by 2030-31, GAIL chairman Sandeep Kumar Gupta told ET.

The Dabhol terminal has a nameplate capacity of 5 mtpa but operates at about 2.9 mtpa as it remains idle during the monsoon season. The company is building a breakwater infrastructure, which will help the terminal operate also during monsoon.

GAIL is also drawing up plans for new LNG import terminals but those are in the preliminary stages, Gupta said.

"Around half the current gas consumption is met by imports and the share is unlikely to come down by 2030. If more gas has to be imported, more terminals will be needed," Gupta said.