In a pivotal transformation, THINK Gas (formerly AG&P Pratham) has cut operator costs by as much as 60 per cent, thanks to a strategic partnership with ABB India and the deployment of ABB’s cloud-based SCADAvantage automation platform.
After building the infrastructure, the next critical step is maintaining it. But how? Given the vast and dispersed nature of its operations, maintenance was a complex task. To manage this effectively, THINK Gas focused on three key areas: projects, operations, and health and safety—primarily through digitisation.
With the help of ABB, THINK Gas has mapped its entire network—pipelines, CNG stations, polyethylene lines, and LCNG stations—and integrated its data into a central control system via SCADA.
“This end-to-end digital integration eliminates the need for manual checks or field calls. Data from field instruments flows through SCADA to the cloud and into our central control room, where it is seamlessly uploaded into SAP. This gives us full situational awareness and operational control,” said Chiradeep Datta, Director and Chief Operating Officer at THINK Gas.
Today, THINK Gas’s sprawling network—comprising over 500 CNG stations, 5.5 lakh domestic piped natural gas (D-PNG) connections, and 17,000 inch-km of steel pipelines—is monitored from a single, centralised control room in Chennai. The transformation has virtually eliminated the need for continuous field patrols, allowing highly skilled engineers to oversee every segment of the system in real time.
ABB’s cloud-based SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system—among the first at this scale in India—offers capabilities such as remote price updates, emergency shutdowns, and performance analytics down to individual CNG dispenser nozzles. Its plug-and-play architecture enables new stations to go live in as little as one to two days—a fraction of the time previously required.
Smarter, faster, safer
Crucially, the platform also enhances safety and revenue assurance. Real-time gas reconciliation allows for instant detection of leaks or losses. Meanwhile, 24/7 monitoring of daily sales performance helps identify underperforming stations, enabling swift corrective action.
“ABB’s SCADAvantage doesn’t just automate—it transforms how CGD networks operate,” said G Balaji, Senior Vice President, Energy Industries at ABB India. “With 80 per cent of India’s CGD networks now digitalised, we’re enabling companies like THINK Gas to scale efficiently while delivering cleaner energy.”
India aims to raise the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030. City gas infrastructure—offering piped gas for homes and compressed gas for vehicles—is central to that vision.