Karachi gas supplies normalised after restoration of 30mmcfd: SSGC

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Wednesday said gas supplies had returned to normal across its franchise areas following the restoration of around 25-30 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas from various fields, resulting in improved pressures, particularly during peak hours.

In a statement, the utility said gas pressures had significantly improved from 5:00am to 10:00pm across Karachi after stabilisation of the system’s line pack, which had come under severe stress due to a sudden cold wave in Karachi and extreme winter conditions in Balochistan earlier this month.

SSGC said it was able to maintain gas supplies smoothly until December; however, an abrupt surge in demand during the second week of January, coupled with harsh weather conditions in Balochistan, compelled the company to divert additional gas supplies to the province to ensure uninterrupted domestic usage.

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To protect human lives amid freezing temperatures, SSGC increased gas supplies to Balochistan from 80 mmcfd to 180 mmcfd.

The diversion was managed by curtailing gas supplies to the fertiliser sector and implementing Sunday shutdowns for industrial units operating captive power plants.

Additionally, 90 mmcfd of RLNG was arranged to maintain system stability.

The situation was further aggravated by reduced supplies from certain gas fields due to technical issues, resulting in a cumulative shortfall of 25–30 mmcfd. This pushed the system’s underground line pack to critically low levels, raising the risk of system collapse.

In response, SSGC took emergency measures, including shutting off gas supplies to the fertiliser sector ahead of schedule and imposing a 24-hour gas holiday on Sundays for CNG stations and the entire industrial sector, including captive power plants.

The company said its Managing Director, Amin Rajput, also engaged with senior officials of other energy sector organisations and successfully arranged an additional 3 mmcfd supply from Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).

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SSGC confirmed that all previously curtailed gas volumes had now been restored, while an additional 6-8 mmcfd had been secured from different fields through special arrangements, helping stabilise the system.

The utility noted that its overall gas availability had declined to around 655 mmcfd due to an annual depletion rate of 8-10% in gas fields, compared to 695 mmcfd last year. It added that gas demand continued to fluctuate with changing temperatures.

SSGC said it was making all possible efforts to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers between 5:00am and 10:00pm, adding that the system remained open beyond these hours without pressure profiling.

The company said gas supply conditions were being monitored round-the-clock, with field teams deployed 24/7 to address low-pressure complaints. Consumers were advised to contact the company’s helpline 1199, use its official social media platforms, or lodge complaints through the SSGC Customer Connect mobile application.