Author : Editor
The government has agreed to consider a demand made by owners of CNG stations for the diversion of gas from smaller and ‘uneconomic’ reserves to the transport sector to ease difficulties being faced by CNG consumers.
The assurance was given to a delegation of the All Pakistan CNG Association that called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani here on Wednesday. Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain was present on the occasion.
The association’s chairman, Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, told Dawn that about 75mmcfd (million cubic feet per day) of shale, dormant and flare gas could be utilised through the existing facilities of CNG stations.
The petroleum minister, however, did not agree to the proposal.
He told Dawn that to the best of his knowledge uneconomical gas from shale and dormant fields could not be diverted to the CNG network.
Dr Asim said the prime minister had not issued any directive to divert gas from these sources to the CNG sector. He had only asked the officials to look into the suggestions.
Mr Paracha claimed that the prime minister had also agreed to waive duty on import of hydrogen equipment which could improve gas utilisation in the CNG industry by 20 per cent.
He said initial estimates suggested that about 38mmcfd of gas flared at oil and gas fields could be diverted to the CNG network in six months.
Mr Paracha said the CNG association had also recommended utilisation of gas in the industrial sector on the basis of efficiency.
He was of the opinion that the industry was using gas at 27 per cent efficiency against the international standards of 75 per cent.
Likewise, domestic, industrial and commercial consumers were using gas-based generators, leading to wastage, he said, adding that gas generators should be taken out of the system to spare 290mmcfd of gas for generating about 1,500MW of electricity.
Source : dawn.com
