Lack of data, aerial surveys and data processing system is hampering the exploration of gas in the country where the existing volume of gas is decreasing with every passing day. CNG association in the country has become a mafia and they are blackmailing both the government and people to safeguard their own interests, this was expressed by Dr Asim Hussain, federal minister of petroleum and natural resources during a press conference here at the head office of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Monday.
He said absence of aerial survey of gas rich lands, especially in Balochistan and Sindh due to security reasons, was one of the major reasons of gas shortage in the country as no exploration carried out despite increasing demand of gas in the country.
There was no data processing unit despite spending around $1 million on the project in the past. Oil and Gas Development Company limited (OGDCL) has not bought a single drilling rig since 1995 to start work on explorations, he said. However, the minister claimed, 12 engineers were being sent abroad to get training besides the required machinery were also being purchased to start the work on new gas reserves.
Talking about current gas crisis, Dr Asim said there was 4.2 BCFD gas in the country against the demand of over 6 BCFD. Shortage of fuel would continue to haunt the people in January with the forecasted shortage of up to 2.5 billion cubic feet. “I had earlier said that this winter could be worse than the prevailing power shortfall, requiring major conservation measures,” he said.
Out of the existing capacity of 4.2 BCFD the CNG sector, power companies and captive power plants were being supplied 310 MMCFD, 647 MMCFD and 294 MMCFD respectively while at least 307 MMCFD were being lost under UFG, the minister added.
Production of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, and Punjab were estimated 17 per cent, 69 per cent, 10 per cent and five per cent respectively with the consumption of seven per cent, 41 percent, seven per cent and 45 per cent respectively. Talking about the protest of CNG sector, he said, the illiterate interest groups were holding the CNG outlets and they were continuously blackmailing both the government and people, especially the transporters, to save their own interest. Replying to a query, Dr Asim pointed out that people in CNG business were making huge profits as according to him they were selling gas at 50 per cent higher price as compared to the purchasing rate. He admitted that conversion of vehicles into CNG power was a wrong decision of the government and the commitments made to different sectors for supplying required gas were also unjustified.
