Prime Minister Imran Khan attended a high-level conference on Wednesday to examine the country’s “gas scenario” and urged authorities to expedite licences for domestic exploration, calling it the “cheapest source of natural gas.”
The meeting was attended by Finance and Revenue Minister Shaukat Tarin, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Shipping and Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Haider Zaidi, SAPM Mahmood Maulvi, and officials from the departments concerned, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“The meeting was briefed about the demand [and] supply from domestic reserves, shortfall and import of liquefied natural gas (LNG),” according to a PMO statement.
During the meeting, the prime minister also urged the relevant authorities to remove any impediments to the installation of new LNG terminals and virtual pipeline projects by investors.
“In this regard, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Petroleum, and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority have been ordered to coordinate and bring all other parties on board,” according to a PMO statement.
PM Imran emphasised the importance of the North-South Gas Pipeline and instructed officials to guarantee its completion within the agreed-upon timetable.
The conference attendees were informed that the present restricted demand for gas is 4,700 million cubic feet per day (mmfcd), which rises to 6,000-6,500 mmfcd during the winter.
“The current domestic supply amounts to 3,300 mmfcd which is decreasing every year. The resulting shortfall has to be managed by importing LNG. With the current infrastructure, a shortfall of nearly 1,000 mmfcd in winter arises for which multiple options are being adopted,” according to the PMO statement.
In the short term, current domestic terminal capacity is being maximized, and the process of obtaining virtual pipeline licenses is being accelerated. Furthermore, the installation of two additional LNG terminals is proceeding, with all bottlenecks being addressed as soon as possible, according to the statement.
Since the beginning of winter, the country has been experiencing a gas shortage, with both home and industrial users experiencing difficulties.
Last week, the energy minister stated that domestic customers’ winter gas demands are satisfied by limiting supplies to non-export general industries and captive power plants, although the Sindh High Court put a stay order on the restriction earlier this year.
The minister stated that because the next hearing on the stay order was set for December 30, he had asked the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to request an early hearing and appeal against the stay order so that domestic consumers’ requirements could be fulfilled efficiently.
Source:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1666500/pm-reviews-pakistans-gas-situation-asks-officials-to-fast-track-licences-for-domestic-exploration
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