Times of Islamabad

Pakistan on the verge of a big gas crisis

Pakistan on the verge of a big gas crisis

ISLAMABAD – The natural gas shortage in the country is likely to jump 3.7billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) during the next financial year 2019-20,said Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) report.According to the report, the demand and supply gap will likely to touch3,720 mmcfd during next financial year as comparing to 1,447 mmcfd duringFY 2017-18.The gas shortfall was persistently increasing every year and most likely toreach 6.6 bcfd by FY 2028, if not contained.The report said that 157 percent more gas shortage was likely in the comingwinter season as comparing to last winter season.Total gas demand would be about 6.9 bcfd in fiscal year 2019-20.According to report the demand will be 7.7bcfd in 2024, Whereas the supplywill be only 2.3 bcfd. The gas shortage in the country likely to be 5.5bcfd.However the report noted that the shortage will be reduced to 3.6 bcfdowing to import of 1.9 bcfd Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).After completion of the import of LNG,Turkmen­istan-Afgha­n­is­tan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and Iran-Pakistan (IP)pipelines projects,the shortage will be reduced to 4.6 bcfd by the year2028.Both the gas utility companies had added 0.7 million domestic, commercialand industrial consumers, in their respective systems, during fiscal year2017-18.