"Pakistan is the single largest market for compressed natural gas (CNG) and our company has decided to set up a manufacturing facility in this important country to produce CNG filling stations." Peter R Wressell, President and Chief Operating Officer of FTI International Group Inc, of Canada, said in an interview to Energy Update magazine.
He said that his company has so far sold 1,000 'dispensers' which are installed in various locations in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. "Pakistan is a very important market to us. We enjoy a very strong and long relationship with Pakistan."
Wressell said that FTI International has established a company in Pakistan with the name 'FTI International Facility' and physical presence of Pakistani soil. This facility will be completed in the next six to eight months".
Pakistan is a single biggest market in the world for CNG, approaching 1.6 million vehicles. He said that authorities were receiving new applications every day from prospective investors for setting up new CNG filling stations all over Pakistan.
"We had taken a decision last year to register our company for arranging compressors for filling stations. Presently, we are providing a complete filling station from Canada, and we will start manufacturing of complete stations in Pakistan. We want to be a major player in Pakistan and we have to do local manufacturing."
About the quality of FTI products, Wressell said that his company does not compromise on safety at any level and produce a very high standard product. "We use all correct zoning. We install a very high level of protection inside our systems to avoid accident because CNG is a very high pressure item."
Talking of his experience of visiting the exhibition, he said this show offers a good opportunity of interacting with quality producers around the globe. "Very high quality level of exhibitions come here. Major global players in CNG business visit this show. At the same time, leading buyers around the world come here along with the people who buy individual components of CNG filling stations and kits."
Regarding use of alternative energy to produce electricity in the wake of high oil prices and gas, Wressell said that the developing countries were working on several options, including wind and solar energy. Most of the developing countries have decided to minimise their dependence on petroleum and they have chosen natural gas. Pakistan has also taken this decision many years ago.