Apropos a news item appeared in Business Recorder, under the caption "OGDC amazes NA body", on 3rd February 2011, the factual position is as follow: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources had been allocating quota of LPG production from OGDCL before deregulation.
After deregulation, M/O P&NR authorised OGDCL to market the product directly or to dispose off it through the existing or newly licensed LPG Marketing companies. On the basis of their pre-qualification as regards to their financial & technical competence subject to the condition the companies were not defaulter.
Accordingly, the then MD OGDCL, being CEO had allowed temporary upliftment of LPG to fifteen LPG marketing companies from Bobi Oil and Gas Field meeting the criteria includes. Pre-qualification in accordance with the requirements of LPG (production and distribution) rules, 2001, holding valid LPG marketing & storage license issued from the OGRA, making a sizeable investment in the market and having no LPG quota from any other field of OGDCL. The allocations were made on the basis of the guidelines provided under the M/O P&NR Rule 2001.
However, in order to regularise the temporary LPG quota from Bobi Oil & Gas Field, a tender notice for sale of LPG on signature bonus was released on 31st August 2009. In response to this tender notice 24 companies participated, but these bids could not be opened due to restraining order issued by Sindh High Court. However extra efforts were made by the OGDCL. The restraining order amended on 17th December, 2009, allowed OGDCL may go ahead with the bidding process while the temporary quota available to the old allottees will be preserved until final adjudication of the writ petition. This case is still under process, meanwhile five new companies against the signature bonus of Rs 25 million for 05/tons per day as also allocated.