Winter woes: Gas shortfall rises as mercury plunges

SNGPL managing director says consumers should conserve gas, minimise use of heaters, geysers.

LAHORE:

Sui Northern Gas Pipe Lines Company (SNGPL) is facing a shortfall of 1,840 million million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) right now, SNGPL Managing Director Arif Hamid said on Saturday.

Talking to reporters at a press conference, Hamid said the shortfall had risen to 1,600 mmcfd due to the rising demand. “The situation has deteriorated further after a fire broke out at the Sui gas field. This has added another 240 mmcfd to the shortfall,” he said.

He said that the shortfall was owing to extreme weather conditions. “Consumers should use gas wisely to avoid the problem of low pressure,” Hamid said.

Hamid appealed to the consumers, particularly domestic consumers, to reduce their use of gas heaters and geysers. “Gas supply to CNG sector and industry has already been suspended in order to provide uninterrupted gas supply to the domestic consumers,” he said.

“SNGPL is now providing gas only to the power plants on dedicated lines,” Hamid said. “The present demand of gas is around 3,000 mmcfd. The company is only getting 1,430 mmcfd of gas,” Hamid said.

He said the 16-inch gas pipeline damaged earlier would be repaired by Sunday. The Sui plant would be repaired as early as possible to add 240 mmcfd to the system,” Hamid said.

“Compression engineers and SNGPL staff have reached the affected site. They are working along with engineers of the Pakistan Petroleum Limited to restore the supply,” Hamid said.

To a question about low gas pressure in most cities, Hamid said that the demand of domestic gas consumers was 900 mmcfd but the company was getting 530 mmcfd.

“The shortfall increased due to the extreme weather. It may increase further in the coming month,” he said.

He said that areas like Gulberg, Model Town, Defence, Ichra, Shadman and Samanabad had been badly affected by the low pressure problem because they were away from the main pipeline.

He said that the SNGPL would start taking action against consumers using compressors from Sunday. “During the campaign, gas connections of consumers will be disconnected,” Hamid said.

Hamid said that new reservoirs amounting to 30 million cubic feet of gas had been discovered in Zargoon gas field. “It is expected that in June 2015, gas from this field will be added to the network,” he said.

Gas supply to textile sector suspended

The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) on Saturday suspended gas supply to textile factories citing “extraordinary shortage” after temperatures dropped last week.

An SNGPL spokesman told The Express Tribune gas supply to textile factories had to be suspended because there was a huge gap between demand and supply.

“The SNGPL has been providing uninterrupted gas supply to the textile industry since October 30,” he said. He said hundreds of domestic consumers had protested the.

He said gas supply to Amin Town, Hasanabad, Hajiabad, Millat Town, Mai Di Jhuggi, Bolay Di Jhuggi, Waris Pura and Saifabad had been suspended over the last few weeks.

He said thousands of complaints had been registered against the gas load shedding schedule for winter.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2014.