Coffee Bytes Global energy giant Shell will foray into retailing LNG for long-haul transportation like trucks, with its first filling station coming up in Gujarat this year. Shell operates a 5 million tonnes a year liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility at Hazira in Gujarat. While the first site is likely to be an exclusive LNG retail outlet, the company may in the future look to co-locate the LNG refuelling facility within petrol pumps. The government is pushing the use of LNG as fuel for long-haul transportation, It is targeting 50 stations in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan in next three years and ultimately 1,000 outlets. Shell will be the first private firm to foray into LNG retailing for long-haul transport. As of now, state-owned oil giants Indian Oil Corporation (20 stations), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (11 stations each), GAIL India (six stations) and Petronet LNG (two stations) have announced LNG stations. Source: ET