LPG-air mix plant likely to start running in Awaran in 2 months

SSGC investing Rs440m to supply gas to 800 households of the remote area

KARACHI: Households in the remote Awaran district of Balochistan are set to receive gas supply at an estimated cost of Rs440 million, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) announced on Monday.

SSGC will commission a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-air mix plant in the district to produce gas intended for the residents.

“We have done our part of fabricating work, including pipeline connections to the households (from the point of air mix plant),” an SSGC official said.



“Hopefully, the project will start providing gas to the households within a month or two,” he said with the usual hint of uncertainty.

The gas utility will supply LPG to the plant via trucks (bowsers). The plant will mix air with the LPG to make it usable in the households.

The company has been transmitting gas to Gwadar in Balochistan through this technology and has established two LPG-air mix plants in Noshki and Surab in Balochistan and one in Mirpurkhas, Sindh, the official added.

SSGC was developing the Awaran project from its own resources, he said, adding it was one of the 60 projects to be set up nationwide.

“Once commissioned, the Awaran LPG-air mix or synthetic natural gas (SNG) plant will provide benefit to 800 households by handling 100 million British thermal units per hour (2 mmcfd) of SNG,” a statement issued by SSGC said. In 2013, during an official visit to Awaran, the then prime minister announced the installation of SNG plants in various locations of Balochistan including Awaran as part of the government’s plan to supply SNG to areas far away from the distribution grid.



“The project was billed as the highest priority LPG-air mix scheme,” the statement added. Despite numerous challenges, SSGC and outsourced contractors have been implementing the project with determination, though its location is in one of the most under-privileged areas of Balochistan and the rocky terrain.

The supply of SNG to Awaran will help raise people’s living standards by providing affordable fuel to the domestic sector and will also open new vistas for commercial activities. It would also assist in tackling deforestation in the area as well as discouraging relocation of locals in search of better prospects, it said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2017.

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