Winter is coming, and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has said that all CNG stations across Sindh will remain close in the upcoming season. The SSG officials told media that the institute has devised a plan to shut down the stations from October 15. “Only pumps supplying LNG will remain open in the province,” the officials added.
It is pertinent to mention that this is the first time the institute is taking such an unprecedented step. The Sui Southern Gas further stated that the pumps will open after four months in February 2021.
CNG Owner’s Reaction:
Reacting to the news, one of the CNG station owners said that the authorities are shifting the pumps to LNG gas, replacing locally available gas. “Sindh, the province which was self-reliant on natural gas, will now be operating on imported gas,” he complained.
The media reports suggested that out of 700, SSGC has shifted 108 stations to LNG in Sindh. The reports further stated that due the 150-200mmcfd gas shortage in the country, SSGC has decided to take tougher steps this winter. Furthermore, some industries and other sectors will also face a gas shortage in the coming months.
Meanwhile, some pump owners believe that the Sindh government has remained failed to claim its share in total gas production. Sindh alone produces around 70 percent of total 3.8bcf gas in Pakistan, but both Sindh and Balochistan receive only 1bcf combined, lower than 30 percent of the total share. The owners also have apprehensions about the potential hike in LNG prices, like before 2014. They believe, no one will buy the gas from them in this case, and their investments will turn into a total loss.
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