The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) was constituted under The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006 (NO. 19 OF 2006) notified via Gazette Notification dated 31st March, 2006.

The Act provide for the establishment of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board to protect the interests of consumers and entities engaged in specified activities relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas and to promote competitive markets and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Further, as enshrined in the act, the board has also been mandated to regulate the refining, processing, storage, transportation, distribution, marketing and sale of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas excluding production of crude oil and natural gas so as and to ensure uninterrupted and adequate supply of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas in all parts of the country.

Main functions of PNGRB are as follows:

1. Protects the interest of consumers by fostering fair trade and competition amongst the entities,
2. Register entities to:
   1. market notified petroleum and petroleum products and, subject to the contractual obligations of the Central Government, natural gas
   2. establish and operate liquefied natural gas terminals
   3. establish storage facilities for petroleum, petroleum products or natural gas exceeding such capacity as may be specified by regulations
3. Regulate by regulations
   1. access to common carrier or contract carrier so as to ensure fair trade and competition amongst entities and for that purpose specify pipeline access code
   2. transportation rates for common carrier or contract carrier
   3. access to city or local natural gas distribution network so as to ensure fair trade and competition amongst entities as per pipeline access code
4. In respect of notified petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas:
   1. ensure adequate availability
   2. ensure display of information about the maximum retail prices fixed by the entity for consumers at retail outlets
   3. monitor prices and take corrective measures to prevent restrictive trade practice by the entities
   4. secure equitable distribution for petroleum and petroleum products
   5. provide, by regulations, and enforce, retail service obligations for retail outlets and marketing service obligations for entities
   6. monitor transportation rates and take corrective action to prevent restrictive trade practice by the entities
5. Lay down, by regulations, the technical standards and specifications including safety standards in activities relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas, including the construction and operation of pipeline and infrastructure projects related to downstream petroleum and natural gas sector;

Standard development activity:

The technical standards and specifications including safety standards relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas, including the construction and operation of pipeline and infrastructure projects related to downstream petroleum and natural gas sector are developed according to their laid down procedure, GSR 323(E) through various technical subcommittees and laid down by the following two regulations:

Technical Standards and Specifications including Safety Standards for city or local Natural Gas distribution network Regulations, 2008

Technical Standards and Specifications including Safety Standards for Natural Gas pipelines Regulations, 2009

Technical Standards and Specifications including Safety Standards for Peptroleum and petroleum products pipelines Regulations, 2016

Key contact person: Click to get the contact details

Website: http://www.pngrb.gov.in/