Relief for SNGPL after KP gasfield resumes operation at optimum level.

Byline: Khalid Hasnain

LAHORE -- Officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) heaved a sigh of relief after the Mol gasfield resumed its operation at the optimum level of 325MMCFD gas on Thursday.

The production from the gasfield situated in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had earlier squeezed to 125MMCFD after the locals forcibly had it curtailed in protest against the government for not fulfilling the commitments it made with them for certain development works in the area.

'Karak residents had forcibly curtailed the gasfield's production that was squeezed to 125MMCFD a few days ago. This caused increase in the gas shortfall that crossed 400MMCFD, leaving the SNGPL (which deals with the gas distribution affairs in Punjab and KP) with no option but to either suspend or curtail supply to the CNG, general industry and power sectors in a bid to accommodate around six million domestic consumers in both the provinces,' a senior SNGPL official told Dawn.

The SNGPL had on Dec 19 halted gas supply to general industry -- fertiliser, manufacturing and compressed natural gas sectors -- to meet energy needs of the domestic consumers in the cold weather. However, it did not suspend supply to zero-rated industry (textile, sports, surgical goods, carpets and leather), stating that the supply to general industries and CNG sector would be restored as soon as the situation gets normal.

Later, the company on Dec 23 also curtailed gas supply to various power plants that led to electricity shortfall and forcing the power distribution companies (Discos) including the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) to observe loadshedding in many areas, particularly those falling within service jurisdiction of high loss 11-kV feeders.

As the domestic sector still faces extremely low gas pressure or...