CNG stations facing low gas pressure

The owners and dealers of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations have expressed concern over low gas pressure in the metropolis. This was disclosed at a joint press briefing, attended by the organisers of CNG Conex-2006, to elaborate 'Third International CNG Conex-2006' conference and exhibition to be held in the metropolis on September 19 to 20.
CNG Station Owners Association of Pakistan (CNG-SOAP) President Malik Khuda Baksh, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) President Abdul Sami Khan and National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) President M. Naeem Qureshi attended the briefing.
PPDA President Abdul Sami Khan said the station dealers were still facing low gas pressure of 8 PSI at several locations in the metropolis. In Punjab, the gas utility is providing 20 PSI of natural gas to CNG station owners without demanding extra money, but here in the city, the gas utility is charging extra amount for providing 15 PSI from station owners, he pointed out.
Abdul Sami Khan said the provincial department of Scales and Measurements was creating problems for CNG station owners and dealers, as this responsibility had already assigned to Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) due to its highly technical reasons.
CNG-SOAP Chairman Malik Khuda Baksh said, "We are trying to resolve the low pressure issue with the gas utility and before the start of CNG Conex-2006, problem would be overcome.
CNG-SOAP Secretary General Sajid Abbas said about 90 percent investment was contributed by the private sector in the CNG. The CNG Conex 2006 objective is to promote CNG as an alternative and environment-friendly fuel in the country and promotion of CNG conversation of heavy vehicles especially urban transport to protect environment. The theme of the conference is "CNG: Clean Fuel for a Green World".
It is aimed to provide latest information to delegates about the infrastructural developments and technical advancements made in the CNG sector world-wide (Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Canada and USA) and particularly in Asian Countries including China, Iran, Bangladesh, India, Japan & Pakistan (both by government and private sector), he maintained.
NFEH President Naeem Qureshi said the conference would discuss the emerging trends, production and processing tools, business opportunities and challenges ahead in next five years by taking advantages from the "best practices" presented by the local and international experts from CNG-NGV industries.
Whereas, the two-day conference and exhibition would run parallel to the conference and attract over 10,000 individual and corporate visitors. The exhibition will display the products related to CNG-NGV light and heavy vehicles, leasing insurance fire and safety.
The exhibitors/participants include stakeholders from CNG industry including manufacturers of CNG kits and association, importers and marketers of CNG equipment (Dispensers, compressors, generators and fuel station etc), OMCs, auto-manufacturers of NGVs, NGV conversion centres, suppliers and distributors of natural gas, environmentalists, safety installation technical experts, government officials, banks, DFIs (Leasing and Insurance Companies), local and international delegates, he said.
The conference and exhibition will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Petroleum Mir Naseer Mengal, while Federal Minister for Petroleum is expected to be the chief guest at the concluding session.
Local as well as foreign representatives of CNG trade from Italy, New Zealand, Britain, China, Malaysia, Korea, India and Canada would attend the conference and exhibition.