Pakistan has accelerated the pace of progress on parleys for gas pipeline from three projects namely Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan, Qatar-Pakistan and Iran-Pakistan-India, so as to meet the demand and overcome shortage of 600 million cubic feet (MCF) of gas per day by the financial year (FY) 2009-10.
Official sources said here on Thursday the country was currently producing little over 2.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day as against daily demand for 3.4 billion cubic feet. The demand is showing sharp upward trend at the rate of 8 percent per year.
Sources said there has been new gas discovery of 800 MCR which is in the process of injection in Pakistan Gas Pipeline Network. But even this addition that would not surmount projected gas shortfall rather there is possibility of further increase in the indigenous gas demand, because several power plants, including country's big power station at Hub, Balochistan, has under consideration to switch over from fuel oil to gas.
As such, the present government is fully alive to the growing gas demand. To meet future gas demand, three projects are under active consideration.
These are: Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan: Qatar-Pakistan and Iran-Pakistan-India.
The steering committee constituted by Pakistan/Afghanistan/ Turkmenistan is scheduled to meet in about two months time at Ashgabad, Turkmenistan.
The committee would review the progress of project whose feasibility report with the Asian Development Bank credit of $1 million has already been completed.
The ADB has also assured of necessary assistance in expediting construction of 1,460-km pipeline from world's fifth largest gas-field at Daulatabad, Turkmenistan. The stumbling block is Afghanistan where instability still persists.
The Pak-Qatar joint co-ordination committee has under consideration offshore pipeline extension to India as the termination in Pakistan is not feasible due to Pakistan's lesser gas demand.
Pakistan's initial requirement's from Qatar is 1.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day which would go up to 3.5 billion cubic feet of gas daily, in future. This pipeline parleys are in and advance stage.
The Pak-Qatar gas pipeline feasibility study involving $3 billion is almost ready for study.
The feasibility study of Iran-Pakistan-India for overland route is almost ready, and another feasibility study for deep sea route and shallow water route separately is yet to be ready for consideration.
Official sources said Pakistan hopes to get one of the three projects on board sometimes this year.
The reason for it is if the construction does not start within a couple of years, the country would not get on time to surmount shortfall of 600 million cubic feet of gas daily by 2009-10.