The gas load management programme 2009/10, proposed by the sub-committee of the Economic Co-ordination Committee, envisaging a two-day weekly holiday on a rotational basis for all sectors is likely to be approved in the next meeting of the Cabinet. All the stakeholders were taken on board prior to the finalisation of the plan by the sub-committee, which accounts for the revision of the plan from the earlier version of an entire week-long gas shedding schedule for specific zones/clusters.
The industry had argued that a week was too long for factories to remain non-operational. It is important for the plan's success to ensure concurrent gas and electricity load shedding for those industries/sectors that rely on gas as a raw material, rather than as a source of energy. At the same time, the government must accept that priority in terms of gas supply must be extended to that industry, like fertilisers, where gas is used as an input rather than as a source of energy.
This would entail the most economically viable use of gas. There is no doubt that planned load shedding as opposed to unplanned load shedding, is preferable as it allows the rearranging of business processes to ensure maximum efficiency under extremely difficult circumstances. The Economic Advisory Council, constituted by the present government, presented a detailed integrated energy plan in March 2009 to the ECC. The government, instead of implementing the plan, has been engaged in fire fighting.
The ECC is now being told of shortage of around 500 to 700 mmcf per day, during the winter, whereas distribution companies' estimate is higher, ie around one billion cf per day. Obviously, the top priority for gas allocation should be power generation. Next, the gas needs of the industry have to be met in order to maintain employment and also produce an exportable surplus. Residual output be provided to commercial and domestic consumers. And, lastly, CNG use needs to be restricted to inter-city buses for mass-transit.
In the long-term, we need to import Regasified Liquid Natural Gas (RLNG) to replace liquid fuel in the power sector. Ensure connectivity and merger of SNGPL and SSGC transmission business for better distribution/allocation of gas according to requirements and need. Proper unaccounted for gas (UFG) control system should be introduced in both companies, as one percent reduction nearly equals to 40 mmcfd.
The pressure of Qadirpur field is falling. Without timely installation and commissioning of requisite compression equipment, the shortage can be compounded. In the meantime, expansion of gas distribution system due to political patronage must stop until further discoveries. Instead, the LPG/Air mix system be used wherever possible.