ISLAMABAD - Taking serious notice of systemic failure of the two major natural gas suppliers of the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed for an immediate inquiry against the top managers of SNGPL and SSGCL.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited are responsible for provision of natural gas to northern and southern parts of the country respectively. But with the onset of winter, the gas pressure has dropped in most areas causing a huge supply crisis.
The PM has ordered the inquiry over the alleged negligence and incompetence of the gas companies bosses in tackling the issue and concealing facts about the fault in gas compressors that resulted in low gas pressure across the country.
Chairing a meeting on the issue, the premier directed Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan to complete the inquiry and submit him the report within 72 hours.
Following the meeting, a four-member fact finding committee was constituted in the light of prime minister’s directives.
The committee headed by Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Chairperson Uzma Adil Khan includes DG (PC) Qazi Saleem Siddiqui, DG (Gas) Shahid Yusaf and DG (LG) Imran Ahmed.
Prime Minister Imran Khan further instructed to coordinate planning regarding demand and supply of gas so that the consumers do not face any hardship in future.
Briefing the PM on the gas situation, Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the two main companies were responsible for the present gas crisis in the country.
The prime minister was informed that the SNGPL and SSGCL not only concealed facts regarding faulty compressors but also showed incompetency about estimate of demand of gas in December.
About domestic production of gas, the meeting was told that presently total production of gas from south fields of the country was 1200 mmcfd, which was 800 mmcfd less than the last year’s production. Similarly, 50 mmcdf less gas was being produced from Kunnar Pasaki and Gamat gas fields in north of the country.
The reduction in overall gas production has hit hard the consumers in country’s biggest city, Karachi, in the southern region. The consumers in northern region were facing supply problem also because of fault in compressors at Nawab Shah and Saran areas.
The prime minister was told that neither the SNGPL informed about real supply of gas in December nor the SSGC timely brought to the knowledge of government the fault in the gas compressors.
About the steps being taken to control gas situation in the country, it was informed that scheduled eight cargo ships of RLNG would reach Pakistan soon while efforts to retain domestic gas production have also been intensified.
The meeting was also informed that despite decrease in domestic gas production and fault at gas compressors it had been ensured that the domestic consumers should not be affected. However, CNG stations and capto plants of some general industries were being provided less amount of gas.
The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Energy Minister Omar Ayub, Special Assistant to the PM Iftikhar Durrani, Chairman Task Force for Energy Nadeem Babar, federal secretaries and other officials.
PM orders inquiry against Sui gas bosses