Ghotki gas can help make cheap power from Qadirpur plant

KARACHI: Allocation of gas from small pockets of fields in Ghotki region like Badar, Kandra and Sara West fields to the plant in Qadirpur would help produce cheap electricity and save forex.

These fields hold low-BTU gas that is high in sulphur content and has no alternate use. Given its lack of alternate use, this gas is generally flared, which results in a permanent loss of this natural resource since the energy cannot be recovered, people in the power sector said.

According to estimates, gas from Badar field can generate an estimated 20-30MW that allows around 200 million units of generation per annum. It can also save around $20 million in forex every year, if utilised effectively.

Moreover, the gas field of Kandra can produce an output of about 65MW with the generation of around 520 million units per annum – leading to almost $0.7 billion potential forex saving over the life of the plant in Qadirpur.

Similarly, Sara West can also provide an output of roughly 36MW with the production of 290 million units per annum, potentially saving $0.3 billion of forex reserves over life.

Since winter is at peak, domestic consumers have been facing long hours of gas outages. National Assembly’s Standing Committee of Petroleum Additional Secretary In-charge captain Muhammad Mahmood (retd) told to a parliamentary panel last month, that gas supplies

to household consumers could be stopped for up to 16 hours a day, with 12-hour load shedding already being experienced.

Pakistan’s prospects from Iran are limited due to international sanctions, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to disrupt supply chains. To counter increasing dependency on expensive imported fuels from the international market; the government has started to recognise the need to utilise indigenous resources to generate cheap electricity for the consumers.

Low BTU gas from the fields in Sindh’s Ghotki region is one such resource, which has the potential to play a part in solving the country’s energy crisis. The impact of these low BTU gas fields would be significant in terms of cheap and affordable supply of electricity to the national grid.

Pakistan’s reliance on LNG imports has intensified, with predictions that the import bill could surpass $30 billion by 2030.

With lengthy delays in cargo shipments, officials have been pushing for a 50 percent cut in gas supply to power plants. In this context, the energy sector needs to explore indigenous resources that serve as an effective alternative to generating power and making a long-term impact on the national grid.