Massive gas deficit feared in winter

ISLAMABAD: In the forthcoming winter season, the massive gas deficit of close to 1000 million cubic feet per day is feared to hit countrymen as even the maximum import of RLNG of 1.2bcfd will not be able to bailout the government from the impending gas shedding. The RLNG demand stands at 1.3bcfd in the country.

There will be no gas even for industry, commercial and CNG and other sectors as it will be a tough task to cater to the domestic sector. In the system of Sui Southern, the natural gas deficit will be 260mmcfd and in Sui Northern’s, there will be shortage of local gas of 600-700mmcfd. This time even in important urban centers like Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and others the gas will be available only for cooking times.

Every household will have to rely on the LPG cylinder even if it has the piped gas connection for catering to needs in the day and night except the cooking times. However, tail-enders will be having no gas and if they have, but with low pressure even during cooking hours in morning, noon and evening.

The official said that availability of the LPG needs to be ensured at the maximum and to this effect the government must restore the JJVL LPG production plant as soon as possible to cater to increasing needs in this winter season. Apart from it, the government should waive off the taxes on LPL to ensure its availability at affordable prices in the winter season and this is the doable tool to bail out the countrymen from the massive gas loadshedding.

The demand of LPG in the winter season will soar to 2,80,000 metric ton per month from December to February and the government needs to take steps to make the availability of LPG at a big scale.