Ours is a memorable account of the 80s. The distribution of Natural Gas over three decades ago was an arduous task in India. In the mid 80s, Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC), the foremost publicly traded oil and gas company, allocated 170000 standard cubic meters per day (scmd) of Natural Gas to an investment arm of government of Gujarat, Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation Limited (GIIC).

Gujarat Gas Company Limited was formed in January 1980 as GACL. It signed a joint venture on June 8th 1988 with the then textile leader Mafatlal Group, for the purchase and distribution of natural gas to the industrial, commercial and domestic consumers in Gujarat.

The project of laying gas pipelines began in Ankleshwar/Bharuch in November 1988 and the first domestic gas connection was provided in September 1989, adding a new chapter in the city gas distribution in India. In the same year, the company got a commitment of additional 3,00,000 scmd of Natural Gas for Surat, the diamond city of India. The project at Surat began in September 1990 and first gas connection was provided in September in the following year. In October 1991, the company approached the market to raise resources with a rights-cum-public issue of shares at par.

In the year 1997, BG Group acquired more than 60% shares from Mafatlal, GIIC, HOEC and the public. Subsequently, GGCL became a subsidiary of BG Group from August 1997. Later, BG Group increased its stake by approximately 5%.

During the last five years, the company has expanded its network in Surat, Bharuch and in the surrounding industrial areas of Kim-Karanj, Jhagadia, Panoli.

The multiple sourcing of gas with a number of suppliers including GSPCL, NIKO Resources, Cairns Energy and GAIL has enabled GGCL increase its volume of gas and provide supply security to its customers.

•  Jan        1980    Incorporation of GGCL*
• Jun         1988    Signed JV with Mafatlal group for supply of gas in Gujarat
• Sep        1989    Commissioning of network and supply of gas in Ankleshwar
• Apr         1990    Commissioning of network at Bharuch
• Sep         1991    Commissioning of network at Surat
• Oct         1991    Rights-cum-Public Issue
• Feb         1992    Started CNG operations
• Apr         1994    Started GFSL (Gujarat gas Financial Services Ltd.)

• Sep         1997    Acquired by BG Group (formerly British Gas)
• Dec         1999    Reached 100000 customer mark
• Jan         2001    Started transmission business
• Feb         2001    Obtained ISO 14001 Certification (Environment Management System)

• Nov         2002    Achieved 1 mmscmd of gas sales
• Dec         2003    Obtained OHSAS 18001 accreditation – 1^st in gas industry in India
• Nov         2004    Commissioned 6 new CNG stations 
• Mar         2005    Listed and awarded one among India’s Best Managed Companies**
• Dec         2005    Touched 3 mmscmd of gas sales
• Dec         2006    Reached 20 plus CNG stations
• Dec         2006    Touched 1 billion cubic metre of gas sales
• Nov         2007    Touched 200000 PNG and 50000 CNG customer mark

Note:
*   Incorporated as Gujarat Amino Chem Ltd. and was renamed as Gujarat Gas Company Ltd. in June 1988
** Awarded by Business Today, based on a survey by A T Kearney (presented by Microsoft)