By Minahil Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has issued around 63 licences of different nature for promotion of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry in the country during first nine months of the current fiscal year.
During the period from July to March, the authority issued one operational licence of LPG storage terminal, three for setting up LPG air-mix plants, 35 for construction of LPG storage & filling plants and 18 for operation of LPG storage & filling plants, according to Economic Survey 2019-20.
Besides, it granted three licences for construction of LPG auto refueling stations and three operational permits for LPG auto refueling stations. Currently, as many as 11 LPG producers and 200 LPG marketing companies are operating in the country, with more than 7,000 authorized LPG distributors.
OGRA has simplified the procedure for grant of LPG licence, which is granted on fast- track basis once the requirements are fulfilled,†the survey report said. During the period under review, the LPG sector had attracted approximately Rs3.72 billion investment in supply and distribution infrastructure, which showed investors’ confidence in business friendly policies introduced by the government.
The current size of LPG market is around 1,061,447 Metric Ton (MT) per annum, while the commodity supply during the nine-month period stood at 739,785 MT. Around 76 percent of the LPG consumed is met through local production, whereas the rest is imported. “Refineries, gas producing fields in Pakistan and imports are three main sources of LPG supply in the country.†Till March 2020, as many as 52 LPG equipment manufacturing companies were registered with the authority.
