Gas crisis looms large

ISLAMABAD: Late arrival of LNG vessel-- Hoegh Gannet at Pakistan Port Gas Company (PGPCL) Terminal -- has triggered gas crisis in the country.

The LNG cargo arranged by Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) was scheduled to arrive on October 8 but it got delayed by two days. Now it will reach the terminal today (Oct 10), a senior official at Energy Ministry told The News.

The berthing of LNG cargo at PGPCL LNG Terminal was actually planned on October 8 but in the wake of technical issues with port side propulsion drive, the arrival of the vessel got delayed.

Owing to delayed berthing by two days, the regasification of LNG at PGPCL Terminal has slowed down to 330mmcfd from October 6, from 600mmcfd with a gas deficit of 270mmcfd for four and a half days.

The shortage of 270mmcfd in gas supply has hit the country particularly Sindh province hard. The non-export industry, CNG sector are facing closure of gas and more importantly in Sindh, there are some pockets where the gas supply to the domestic sector has also squeezed.

And in the Punjab, the non-export industry and CNG sector is also facing the closure of gas supply. From today (October 10) once the LNG vessel is berthed and regasification of 600mmcfd starts, the gas crisis will be over.

Petroleum Division says that the LNG supplier –Tarifigura, which was to deliver cargo on Oct 8-9, 2021 informed PLL on Oct 6, 2021 that the LNG vessel Hoegh Gannet is experiencing technical issues with port side propulsion drive, therefore, the vessel will reach Port Qasim on 1500 hours on Oct 9, 2021 instead of 0500 hours on Oct 8, 2021. Owing to this delay, Petroleum Division says that the vessel will be able to berth at the terminal on Oct 10, 2021 instead of Oct 8, 2021. LNG vessel Hoegh Gannet was loaded with a cargo on Sept 10, 2021 at Freeport, USA.