LNG-based general industries, other sectors: Gas supply yet to be restored

ISLAMABAD: Gas supply to LNG-based general industries, fertilizer plants and CNG stations in various regions of the country had yet to be restored despite Minister for Energy's claim that 80 percent RLNG flows were restored by the fourth day (Saturday).

In a tweet, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar said, "RLNG flows restored to 80 percent zero forced/announced load-shedding in most areas since 5pm yesterday, i.e., third day of dry docking".

The officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and the All Pakistan CNG Association told Business Recorder that no notification was issued for the restoration of supply to RLNG-based CNG stations, general industry, and fertiliser plants in Punjab and KP areas.

Hammad Azhar said that change over the ships completed on time on Wednesday. 40 percent re-gasification of RLNG from the replacement ship has been achieved two days ahead of schedule. We are targeting 70 percent restoration of RLNG supply by tomorrow".

The supply situation in the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) also could not be improved as general industry, CNG stations and fertiliser remained shut.

Both gas companies - the SNGPL and the SSGC - announced that they would disconnect gas supply to LNG-based fertiliser plants, cement, CNG, and non-export industries from June 29 to July 5, 2021 due to dry docking of Engro's LNG terminal.

The Petroleum Division had proposed that during the dry docking stretching from June 29 to July 5, about 70 mmcfd RLNG be suspended to two fertiliser plants, followed by 40mmcfd to CNG sector in Punjab, 70mmcfd of local gas to CNG in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and the spared volumes be used by the SNGPL for system balancing and diversion to power plants subject to charging of RLNG tariff and another 115mmcfd RLNG to non-export generation industry in Punjab and the KP.

In case of the SSGCL, the summary demanded suspension of both RLNG and local gas to the CNG sector and non-export generation industry and the RLNG to K-Electric be also reduced.

On Monday, speaking at a press conference, President FPCCI Nasir Hayat Magoon had said that the "gas crisis" is an outcome of mismanagement as gas supply is being suspended across the country from June 29, which is the outcome of "gross incompetence".

On Friday, former prime minister and PML-N central leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi accused the federal government of creating an "artificial" shortage of LNG.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021