Gas supply to fertilizer sector, industries restored

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: The government has restored gas supply to fertilizer sector and industries due to improved gas supply situation with the onset of spring leading to a decline in demand by the domestic sector.

According to senior officials of the Petroleum Ministry, gas supply to the fertilizer plants operating on the system of Sui-Southern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was restored on March 5. On the system of SNGPL four major urea gas plants i.e. Pakarab, Engro Enven, Agritech and Dawood Hercules Fertilizers are now working with a cumulative urea production capacity of 2.2 million tons. These plants faced gas curtailments throughout 2011 and since the beginning of 2012.

After improvement in weather condition gas supply to textile industry has been enhanced from two to four days a week, which would be increased to five days after March 15.

Sources further said the Petroleum Ministry had called an important meeting on March 15 with all the stakeholders including fertilizer sector, textile industry, All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), Sui-Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) and Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to review the present gas load management plan.

The official said that this year about one billion cubic feet per day (BCFD) gas would be added to the system, resultantly gas load-shedding in the current year would be reduced by 50 percent in the next winter season.

"At present gas supply to Fertilizer sector is very important as the Kharif crop season has started - a season when three of the most important crops namely paddy, cotton and sugarcane along with other crops are cultivated in the country," official added.

After improvement in the weather the use of natural gas by domestic sector has significantly declined as well as an estimated 30 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) gas production would start from Badin by March 15, which would be dedicated to industrial sector.

"After March 15 we will be in a position to reduce the duration of gas load-shedding for CNG station in Punjab from three to two days per week and hopefully CNG stations in Sindh would be exempted from load-shedding" the official added.