CNG sector, industry face further delays in gas supply

LAHORE: Since normal regasification from Terminal-2 shall start by Sunday October 10, 2021 (today) afternoon, the resumption of gas supply to industry and transport sectors may be delayed further, The News learnt on Saturday.

Therefore, according to Ghiyas Paracha, the central leader of All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), it has been decided by the gas utility that curtailment of CNG, cement and non-export industrial sector may be extended for further 12 hours i.e., till 12 noon today.

Paracha decried that federal government was not removing hurdles in the import of LNG (liquefied natural gas) through excess capacity available in existing terminal. “This is huge excessiveness on the part of government, while managing affairs of energy sector,” said Paracha adding, “The CNG sector has to bear major brunt of anti-business policies of the incumbent government”. He also bemoaned the decision of what he called continuing suspension of gas supply to CNG sector in days to come by SNGPL and SSGC, terming it an arbitrary move by the government. “There has not been set any priority for the imported gas,” he claimed and added that CNG sector should be given RLNG (regasified LNG) as per requirement so that this cheap substitute of petrol could be made available to masses.

Commenting on back-to-back suspensions in gas supply, he warned that a similar looming crisis was in the offing.

According to our information, there would be another bottleneck in gas import during the month of November, which would further cripple the economy, Paracha said.

“We strongly criticize mismanaged energy sector of the country, which adversely affected the industry and transport sectors,” he said and added that the government should leave import of gas to private sector in order to use excessive capacity available. Moreover, taxes to CNG sector should also be rationalized with a view to make it affordable for the masses, the CNG association chief demanded.

It may be noted that a yet another manmade gas crisis hit industry and transport hard as poor supply side management caused disruption in import on weekend. The delay in arrival of LNG ship is being blamed on mismanagement and poor governance of energy affairs.

As per latest developments concerned yet another gas crisis, both gas utilities -Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) on Friday announced to shut gas supplies of industry and CNG sectors from Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, in another development, Hammad Azhar, Minister of Energy, is upbeat about progress on gas transmission line. In a post on microbloging site, he said the government was moving fast on finalising details of PakStream gas pipeline project (formerly called North-South pipeline) with the Russian counterparts.