The Prime Minister's Secretariat has shown serious concerns over the slow progress of RLNG 1200 MMCFD Pipeline Augmentation Project being undertaken by gas utilities - Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) and has directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to expedite the work which is critical for 3600 MW LNG based power projects.
The completion of project was delayed by three months - till March 2017. The project was supposed to be completed by December end 2016. Prime Minister Secretariat pointed out that the pipeline delivery had been delayed for two sections of the pipeline projects.
Sources said that the Ministry of Petroleum had informed Prime Minister Secretariat that gas utilities were trying hard to meet the deadline given to the five power plants.
The power generation from LNG energy source is estimated to increase from 1,800 MW to 3,600 MW by 2017 as a result of this policy shift. While reviewing RLNG 1200 MMCFD pipeline Augmentation Projects of SNGPL and SSGCL, Prime Minister Secretariat was informed that 895 km pipeline augmentation project of SNGPL was being carried out in six segments: (i) Sawan-Bhong (203 km), (ii) Phoolnagar-QSS (66.5 km), (iii) QSS-Tatlayali and Khurrianwala-Shahkot (70 km), (iv) Qadirpur Rawan-Sahiwal (145 km), (v) Sahiwal-Phoolnagar (109 km), and (vi) Bhong-Qadirpur Rawan (302 km).
Another 340 km 1200 MMCFD Pipeline Augmentation Project of SSGCL was being carried out in four segments: (i) Karachi-Hyderabad (125 km), (ii) Hyderabad-Nawabshah (130 km), (iii) Nawabshah-Nara (82 km), and (iv) Indus River Crossing (2.5 km). The gas pipeline for Bhikki, Balloki and Haveli Bahadur Shah was supposed to be completed by December 2016. The gas pipeline for Nandipur Power Plant would be completed by March 2017. Regarding the Muzaffargarh Power Plant gas Pipeline, sources maintained that detailed route survey and engineering design of pipeline was under process and project was expected to be completed by February 2018.
So far, the sites proposed for the five plants are Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan in Punjab, Sukkur in Sindh and Mardan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The government is already working on three LNG power plants in Punjab which are projected to generate a total of 3,600MW.
Pakistan State Oil (PSO) was importing 400 million cubic feet per day LNG due to constraints in supplying LNG. The gas utilities were working on increasing pipeline capacity to transport imported gas. The contract for setting up second LNG terminal had been awarded to the successful bidder to handle 600 mmcfd LNG that would be pumped to 3600 MW LNG based power plants being set up in Punjab province to overcome power crisis. This terminal would be completed in June 2017. Prime Minister Secretariat has directed to expedite work on augmentation of pipeline capacity to enable the provision of 3600 MW LNG based power plants being set up in Punjab province.
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