GAIL, India's largest gas distributor, has issued a tender for a cargo of liquefied natural?gas to be delivered in March. The conflict in the Middle East has curtailed shipping, and Qatari production is currently halted.

GAIL wants the cargo for delivery between March 15-25, according to two industry sources on Monday. The tender closes on March 9.

The war has impacted several industries in India, as the South Asian nation, the fourth largest LNG importer in the world, rations its supplies.

GAIL announced on Thursday that it would consider reducing natural gas supplies to customers after Petronet LNG, its long-term supplier, issued a notice of force majeure due to 'constraints in vessels.

According to two 'other sources,' another Indian LNG -importer, the state-owned GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corp), bought a cargo for April delivery? at a price of more than $20 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu).

(source: Reuters)