The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources on Wednesday approved a gas load management plan for the upcoming winter season. A high-level meeting was held here to finalise the gas load-management plan with Dr Asim Hussain Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources in the chair.
Briefing the media persons, Ejaz Chaudhary, Secretary Petroleum Ministry, said that due to a fast approaching Eid-ul-Azha it was decided in the meeting that CNG sector would receive an uninterrupted gas supply from November 4 to 11. He said that after Eid gas supply to CNG sector in Punjab would be suspended for three days, adding that two out of four fertiliser plants on SNGPL system would remain closed in November. Gas supply to industrial sector would remain suspended for three days, he added.
The Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has increased the duration of gas suspension to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector from two-and-a-half days to three days. In November, gas supply would continue for only two independent power producers, while the remaining would utilise furnace oil for power generation.
Chaudhary said the ministry would finalise a new gas load-management plan for the month of November, adding that during the upcoming winter all the sectors of economy would face a severe gas shortage. The shortfall is expected to touch 2 billion cubic feet per day (BCFD) mark, he added.
The Ministry of Petroleum had earlier drafted a gas load-management plan, which sought to cut off natural gas supply to industrial sector for three months, ie, December to February, to meet the rising demand of domestic consumers. "The demand side management will be very difficult in upcoming winter season and if the government did not take a firm stand on curtailing the gas supply the entire system might choke, as the gas transmission network especially in Punjab is working under extreme pressure," said a senior official of the Petroleum Ministry.
Meanwhile, All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) has rejected the gas load-management plan approved by the Ministry, saying that the government is required to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to this sector as per an agreement. Ghiyas Paracha, Chairman APCNGA after the meeting said that the gas supply of all those sectors, which have alternate fuel options "shall be cut off for three months according to law and agreements".
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