Pak-Arab and other fertiliser units in Southern Punjab remained closed as Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has suspended gas supply to fertiliser plants declaring 'Force Majeure' due to fault in compressors recently installed at Qadirpur field.
"Gas demand in the domestic sector in the northern part of the country has again increased, following sudden unexpected change in ambient temperature due to snow/rain, leading to increase in the city loads in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "The dealers will also start hoarding fertilisers to create an artificial shortage in a bid to earn undue profits from the farmers". Sources also said, adding that though fertiliser sector was on top priority after domestic sector in gas allocation policy viewing larger interest of farmers yet SNGPL had cut off supplies by ignoring allocation policy.
Sources further told that SNGPL had also bypassed the concerned ministries at a time of taking decision to suspend gas supply to fertiliser sector. It is not out of place to mention that gas supplies from some of the major gas fields namely Sawan, Sui, Zamzama and Qadirpur have been declining considerably for the last few days.
Qadirpur gas field, which has been supplying up to 460mmcfd gas, suddenly reduced gas production by over 70mmcfd in the last 3 to 4 days due to reported fault in compressors recently installed and is currently supplying less than 390mmcfd gas, resulting in severe depletion of transmission pack.
SNGPL official seeking anonymity said that with continued massive gas curtailment in the industrial and CNG sectors in Punjab, demand supply position remained worsening, and presently our system was operating at alarming level of 2700mmscf, and in case of any further depletion, experts have opined, adding that country's transmission system shall no longer be operative.
"Therefore, no gas shall be available to fertiliser plants from now onwards", official said, adding that as soon as the supplies and demand supply position improved, SNGPL would endeavour to start supplying gas to the fertiliser plants operating on our system. Experts were of the opinion that concerned authorities should adopt concrete, comprehensive as well as strict measures to manage demand-supply with remaining available gas in Punjab.