LPG supplies decline

LAHORE: Supplies of locally-produced liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which caters to 70 percent of the country’s requirements, have witnessed a sharp decline during the last 10 days on account of low crude oil production, as well as reduced refining output, an official said on Saturday.

LPG Association of Pakistan Chairman Farooq Iftikhar urged the Ministry of Energy (petroleum division) to ensure that LPG producers, refineries and E&P companies of public and private sectors produce LPG as per their installed capacities.

“Pakistan’s local LPG production, which is estimated at 2,000 tons/day has declined to 1,400 tons. The decrease is on account of shutdown of Byco Refinery, and severely curtailed output from OGDCL and MOL operated fields of Makori and Nashpa,” he said. The reduction in supplies, mainly on account of build-up of furnace oil stocks, is impacting the availability of LPG in winter months. Recently, permission has been given for the disposal of these stocks and this will ease the situation.