July 16, 2019: The Regassified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) is playing a vital role in bridging the gap between demand and supply of natural gas, which is increasing gradually due to depletion of existing hydrocarbon reserves and non-discovery of any major gas deposit since long.

Currently, around 12,000 Million Cubic Feet Per Day (MMCFD) RLNG is being added in distribution system of both Sui Northern Gas Company Limited  and Sui Southern Gas Company for onward supply to consumers, a senior official privy to petroleum sector developments said on Tuesday.

The country at present has two LNG re-gasification terminals at Port Qasim in Karachi, having total capacity 1,440 mmcfd gas, while the Economic Coordination Committee had recently approved a resolution of the board of Port Qasim Authority allowing amendment in its master plan to accommodate the prospective 3rd LNG terminal.

The government is also working to increase import of the LNG so that projected demand-surge in next winter can be met with additional injection of LNG in the transmission network. 

The official said that the government has devised a prudent strategy to accelerate oil and gas exploration activities in potential areas of the country, under which new exploration blocks are being awarded through open bidding process.

The Petroleum division recently held bidding for 10 exploration blocks, out of which eight had been awarded to qualified bidders. Bidding for 15 to 20 more blocks had been planned by end of this year with an aim to step up oil and gas exploration activities and achieve self-sufficiency in the energy sector.

Besides, he said the government was preparing a summary for creation of new oil and gas exploration block in potential areas of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan.

Accordingly, a summary would be presented before the Council of Common Interests for approval, he added.

Currently the country’s total sedimentary area is around 827,268 square kilometers (KM2), out of which 320, 741 KM or 39 percent of the area is under exploration.

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