ISLAMABAD – The first private shipment, carrying around 130,000 cubic meterLiquefied Natural Gas (LNG), is likely to arrive at Karachi port by end ofthis month, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Gas Distribution Company(UGDC) Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said Thursday.
“We have recently signed deals with world leading companies ExxonMobil andTrafigura for supply of LNG, while the ‘additional private capacity’ ofPakistan Gas Port Consortium Limited (PGPC)’s terminal used forre-gasification and onward distribution,” he told APP.
The Trafigura and Gas Port have ownership of the ‘additional privatecapacity’ at the terminal, he said adding “a formula already exists underwhich private sector can import LNG as per its requirements, get itinjected into existing gas transmission network and receive at industrialunits.”
After injection of the private imported LNG in distribution networks of SuiSouthern Gas Company and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Paracha said“the users of private LNG, will be called UGDC consumers, a private sectorcompany of Pakistan.”
He appreciated the government for allowing private sector to import LNG andset up LNG terminals in Pakistan, expressing confidence that it would helpmeet the growing energy needs of the country.
Paracha also welcomed the government decision about lifting of ban on newgas connections for CNG stations, saying “It will give a new life to theCNG sector.”
Read Top Stories
Paracha said hundreds of completed CNG stations had been waiting for thegas connection for years, and these would now start their operations aftergetting connections through RLNG supply.
With the promotion of CNG fuel, he said the country would be able to savearound $ 1 billion annually on account of oil import bill and control airpollution in big cities.
He said the CNG was an environment-friendly fuel and almost 30 percentcost-effective as compared to petrol; adding increased LNG import wouldhelp ensure uninterrupted supply to CNG stations.
