By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar Wednesday said that the Kunnar Passaki Deep (KPD) gas field has resumed supply to the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) network after the completion of its annual turnover.
The energy minister, in a statement on Twitter, also announced the start of dry docking of Engro’s LNG terminal, which he said, will be completed by Monday.
Azhar added that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) gas diversions will mostly take place during this time.The gas crisis in the country has hit the industry and the CNG sector hard due to the closure of the KPD gas field and the dry docking of the LNG terminal, with the business community blaming the government’s mismanagement for the shortage.
According to a report, the SSGC faced a gas shortfall of 160mmcfd in its system due to which CNG stations had been closed till July 5.
Meanwhile, the SSGCL has said that due to supply-side issues, the gas utility is managing load by implementing the Pakistan’s Gas Load Management Plan under which the top most priority is given to domestic and commercial customers, followed by other categories.
However, the SSGC categorically denied reports of gas load shedding anywhere in its franchise area. “Some pocket neighbourhoods may be facing temporary shortages due to inflow of reduced volumes of gas from the gas fields owned by E&P companies,” the report quoted the SSGC as saying.
Similarly, some areas are undergoing pressure profiling and may be facing pressure and supply issues especially during the nighttime, the company further said.
‘Gas crisis expected to be over in 2-3 days’
Meanwhile, SAPM on Power and Petroleum Tabish Gauhar said Pakistan is expected to receive a major LNG shipment in the next two to three days to tide industrial units over the recent gas crisis.
