The Core Report #824 Markets Snap A Three Day Run
Mar 16, 2026
Amit Kumar Sharma, Head – Americas at VFS Global, outlines travel disruptions, alternate routes and visa responses amid Middle East tensions. Dr. Ashish Lele, Director at CSIR‑NCL, discusses scaling DME as a possible LPG substitute and its methanol feedstock economics. They also cover market reactions to geopolitical shocks and how travel and energy sectors are adapting.
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Government Flags Stable Oil And Gas Operations
- The government says India has adequate crude and LPG supplies with refineries at full capacity and normal petrol pump operations.
- Officials report piped natural gas and CNG supply at 100% while urging dual-connection consumers to relinquish LPG for distribution efficiency.
Homegrown Catalysts Could Jumpstart DME Production
- CSIR-NCL developed an indigenous methanol-to-DME catalyst and is ready to scale from pilot to demonstration stages.
- Dr Ashish Lele explains pilot output is 250 kg/day and the next step is a 2.5 ton/day demo plant to validate techno-economics.
Use A 2.5 Ton Demo Plant To Prove DME Scaleup
- Scale DME commercially by building a demonstration plant inside a large oil or industrial company to validate reactors, distillation and heat integration.
- Dr Ashish Lele recommends a 2.5 ton/day demo as the bridge from 250 kg/day pilot to full-scale production.