Pakistan’s first approved LNG pipeline company, via a virtual pipeline across the country, will play a major role in ensuring uninterrupted liquefied natural gas to domestic, industrial and commercial consumers.
The assurance was given here on Tuesday by Yasir Hameed, Chief Executive Officer of LNG Easy (Pvt) Limited.
Speaking at a meeting at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he said that the gap between demand and energy supply in the country was widening, which would be further exacerbated by the depletion of existing gas reserves. “We need a virtual pipeline to meet the country’s energy needs,” he said, adding that pipeline supply was an expensive choice and that the company was therefore implementing a virtual pipeline via an integrated transportation system to supply LNG from Qatar to any destination in Pakistan.
“We have our own cargo ship with jetty and cryogenic bowsers,” he said, adding that the company had also entered into agreements with the NLC and Pakistan Railways to transport the LNG-filled bowsers to any destination in the country from the port.
He said that LNG Simple (Pvt) Limited had several choices for consumers from various sectors and could provide truck-mounted skids while regularly filling bulk customers with their own storage tanks.
Furthermore, Yasir Hameed said that as of June of this year, the government had declared the cessation of the supply of gas to captive power plants in the industrial sector.
LNG Simple (Pvt) Limited can, under mutually agreed terms and conditions, ensure the supply of LNG to these units so that the industrial process will proceed without any interruption,” he added.”
FCCI President Engineer Hafiz Ihtasham Javed welcomed the guests and said that Faisalabad was one of the country’s main loading centres. “The establishment of the industrial city of M3 and the Allama Iqbal Export Processing Zone will further increase LNG demand and this company will certainly play a role in the early colonisation of mega-industrial estates.”
He said Pakistan’s daily gas demand was about 6,000 MMCF, while the current pipeline system supported just 4,000 MMCF. He said Pakistan would turn to other alternative means to fulfil its ever-increasing LNG needs.