ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has finally devised a strategy for securing thestrategic oil and fuel reserves of the country including the war reserves.
A plan to secure oil and gas installations across Pakistan is in its lastfinalization stages to ensure smooth energy supplies.
Transport, aviation fuel stocks for defence needs are needed to be retainedfor 25 days via oil marketing companies (OMCs) and another 45 days by thecivil sector at every airport and seaport, reports *Dawn.*
Sources aware of the developments shared defence authorities have voicedworries whilst forces were keeping the 20-day cover of general servicereserves at their respective depots, but 25-day minimum strategic reserveto be kept by petroleum division via Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and variousOMCs were running a shortfall.
Also, the defence authorities stated the 45-day reserve limit of petroleumproducts was needed to be kept as minimum war stamina.
As per the strategic plan devised by the ministries of defence, petroleum,industries, finance and commerce, the existing domestic refineries requiredupgradation and overhauled in a phased manner.
These fuel requirements follow in addition to the building of tworefineries having a capacity of 250,000-300,000 barrels per day, one beingmanaged by PSO in partnership with foreign investors and the other byPak-Arab Refinery Company (Parco) project situated in the coastal region.
Both these projects are in the primary stages of execution.
The logistic side has five projects presently being setup to improve energymovement within Pakistan.
Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) as per an agreement with Port QasimAuthority (PQA) and Fauji Oil Terminal Company (FOTC) is establishing a newjetty at Port Qasim to manage Mogas imports and storage capacity to handleover 325,000 tons per day at Karachi, Thallian and Taru Jabba.
Also, FWO has commenced two other projects which include a pipeline forvarious product transportation from Memhoodkot via Thalian near Rawalpindito Taru-Jabba near Peshawar.
It is laying a pipeline from Gwadar-Kashgar for the commercialtransportation of crude oil.
PSO is laying a pipeline for connecting Keamari and Port Qasim, whereas awhite oil pipeline project is in the works by Parco and Pak-Arab PipelineCompany Limited to guarantee smooth transportation of motor gasoline.
Moreover, officials shared the transmission and distribution lines werelaid underground and mostly not visible without access to relevant pipelinesketches.