On 5 June 2008, Reliance Industries' successfully test-fired gas into the first section of the East-West pipeline, from Valsad to Ankot in Gujarat after many weeks of experimental dry runs and testing using liquids.

The proposed pipeline, linking Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to Bharuch in Gujarat is 1,440 km long and 48 inch in diameter, is the longest in India and covers Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The pipeline will be tested in three phases, first to start from Bharuch in Gujarat to a section in Maharashtra and then from Maharashtra to Karnataka and up to Kakinada in the last leg.

Gas, will flow into the next section from Valsad to Kalyan in Maharashtra by end June 2008 and the entire pipeline will be tested with gas and ready for operation by September 2008.

RIL has tied up with the Gujarat State Petronet to transport gas from Bhadbhut in Bharuch to RIL's refinery and petrochemical complex in Jamnagar. After receiving gas from RIL, GSPL will transport the same using its existing pipeline between Bharuch and Rajkot and through new pipelines laid up to Jamnagar.

The East-West pipeline will also be connected with GAIL's Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur and Dahej-Vijaipur pipeline network at Ankot in Gujarat. Apart from this, it will be networked with Dahej-Uran and Dabhol-Panel pipeline network at Mashkal in Maharashtra. At Kakinada, the pipeline will receive gas from the KG basin at Oduru in Andhra Pradesh.

RIL is also setting up two advanced master control centers at its Nocil facility in Mumbai and at Kakinada to monitor and control the flow of gas through the pipeline using the supervisory control and data acquisition system. It is also planning another pipeline from Kakinada to Chennai in the next phase and from there to Bangalore and Mangalore.

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East-West pipeline to commission by June 2008 (04-Mar-08)