Gas supply from Swan gas field restored

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: Gas supply from Swan gas field has been restored, which was closed for annual maintenance purposes, and the government has enhanced gas supply to the industrial sector of Punjab from four to five days a week.

An official of Sui-Southern Gas Company (SSGC) limited told Business Recorder on Wednesday that the field was closed on April 30 for annual maintenance is producing 72 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) gas, which is being supplied to the industrial sector of Punjab.

Due to the closure of the gas field, industrial sector in Punjab was facing three days weekly gas load-shedding, which after the restoration of gas supply has been reduced to two days a week as per commitment of President Asif Ali Zardari with the representatives of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA).

The entire country at present is facing worst ever power load-shedding and the government in a bid to manage the power crisis has suspended gas supply to the fertilizer plants on the system of Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). All four fertilizer plants on the SNGPL network including Pakarab, Dawood Hercules, Engro’s new plant and Agritech are currently closed due to suspended gas supply.

According to officials due to gas shortage and hike in the prices of fertilizer the commodity has seen 37 percent decline in the sale during March 2012. Only 26,3000 tons of urea were sold in March, while in the first four months of 2012 an estimated 10,33000 tons of urea were purchased.