Sindh & Balochistan: SSGC says there’s no load-shedding in franchise area

ISLAMABAD: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) stated there is no gas load-shedding in the company’s franchise area of Sindh and Balochistan, especially in the domestic sector.

The company, however, clarified that as part of the gas load management strategy (as per internationally implemented practices), a night-time gas closure/pressure profiling from 10:00 pm to 05:00 am is being exercised in the domestic sector in order to maintain the line-packs for the subsequent day.

The company explained that due to the natural depletion of indigenous gas reservoirs on an annual basis, SSGC has been experiencing gas shortages in its system. Since FY 2017–18, the gas supplies have been reduced by 55% (1192 MMSCFD in FY-2017-18 to the current 660 MMSCFD) in SSGC’s allocated gas fields, and subsequently, 535 MMCFD of gas depletion has been observed during the past eight years.

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According to the load management plan approved by ECC, the domestic and industrial sectors are given the first priority. The gas load management helps the company manage/ consume the saved volumes of indigenous natural gas during the peak consumption hours.

In the depleting indigenous gas scenarios, SSGC’s management is continuously striving to supply the optimum required volumes of gas to its domestic customers, especially during the cooking hours, including those located at the tail-end of the company’s distribution network.

It may be noted that according to the prevailing Natural Gas Allocation and Management Policy, domestic and industrial sectors are prioritized over the CNG sector. Presently, the maximum consumption of the CNG sector is only 2-3 MMSCFD of RLNG in SSGC’s franchise area.

The CNG sector has no share in the volumes of the above-stated indigenous gas supplies and is also prone to the weekly gas closure during the winter season.

In order to improve the quality of service to its customers and to address the issues of low gas pressures, SSGC has undertaken an extensive rehabilitation program of its pipeline distribution network across its franchise area, while prioritizing older colonies and those areas that are situated at the tail-end of its distribution network.

During the last three (03) years, SSGC has completed rehabilitation of distribution networks, totaling over 6,000 kilometers in Karachi and different cities and towns in Upper Sindh, with a plan and execution of another 5,000 kms rehabilitation of the distribution network in the next two (02) years.

Looking ahead, SSGC is actively working with the companies engaged in the Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas in its franchise area to make up for the massive depletion that occurred during the last few years to supply adequate volumes of natural gas to all sectors in the years to come.

SSGC’s agile technical teams remain mobilized 24/7 to address any isolated supply-related issue. However, the customers in any particular area who are not attended by any SSGC’s team for their complaints of gas supply/low-pressure issues can contact SSGC’s 24/7 operational contact centre by dialing 1199. They can also lodge their complaints through SSGC’s Mobile App, SSGC Customer Connect, or by visiting our nearest Customers’ Facilitation Centers, Regional/Zonal Offices, and Head Office.

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