Who said Pakistan was isolated? It is working on at least options to import gas from Iran, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. Even our old buddy China wants to be part of this great deal-making. This sort of energy cooperation is solid proof of the CE's successful "Look west" policy.
Pakistan working on 3 options of gas import
ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Usman Amin-ud-Din said Tuesday Pakistan is working on three options of gas import from Turkmenistan, Qatar and Iran in order to meet the growing gas demand in the future.
"Qatar joining in with the Iranian pipeline may also be a possibility," he stated this while addressing the "Technical Seminar on Gas" organised here by Tractebel Engineering, a global energy and services group.
The Minister, however, added that these projects are open for participation by any interested party, adding, Chinese have recently expressed interest in joining one of these projects and we encourage other partners too.
He said, petroleum sector has always remained a vibrant sector contributing substantially towards the economic development of Pakistan, where the natural gas has played a pivotal role since beginning.
The Minister informed that Pakistan's commercially discovered natural gas reserves stand so far at 33 TCF, whereas its potential is estimated at 200 TCF.
Pakistan's current energy demand is about 42 million tonnes of oil equivalent of which about 38 per cent is being met by natural gas, he said, adding, however in order to meet the shortfall in the demand and supply, the government has to import huge quantities of oil worth several billion dollars.
To address this problem, the government has envisaged a two pronged policy of exploiting the national potential through aggressive oil and gas exploration and utilisation of the discovered reserves in a prudent manner by replacing imported oil with indigenous gas, he added.
He said, as Pakistan's major natural gas reserves are located in the central part, the gas is supplied to the consumers all over Pakistan, through the transmission and distribution networks of Sui Northern and Sui Southern gas companies.
This extensive country-wide network of natural gas supply system comprised some 7,800 kilometres of transmission lines and 55,000 kilometres of distribution lines, supplying gas to more than 3 million consumers in 240 towns and cities and 650 villages of the country, he added.
The Minister, however, pointed out that the present natural gas production of 2.4 billion cubic feet per day is far less than the demand in various sectors like power, fertilizer, industrial, domestic and commercial.
The Minister said, in order to improve the existing gas transmission capacity to carry the additional gas, which will be available from the new discoveries, Pakistan seeks investment in the augmentation of gas transmission network.
Usman further said, the government has also reached an agreement with the multinational companies on the gas pricing structure for the newly discovered gas fields which are expected to add one billion cubic feet per day.
"Gas sales agreement have been singed with the operators and the first new field, Zamzama, will come into production by March this year, he said, adding, We plan to start with the supply of about 120 million cubic feet gas per day from Zamzama field to Guddu power station".
The policy has been successful in winning the confidence of the industry and the sector has attracted a huge investment of about US $ 734 million both in the upstream and downstream sector, he added.
Pakistan working on 3 options of gas import
ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Usman Amin-ud-Din said Tuesday Pakistan is working on three options of gas import from Turkmenistan, Qatar and Iran in order to meet the growing gas demand in the future.
"Qatar joining in with the Iranian pipeline may also be a possibility," he stated this while addressing the "Technical Seminar on Gas" organised here by Tractebel Engineering, a global energy and services group.
The Minister, however, added that these projects are open for participation by any interested party, adding, Chinese have recently expressed interest in joining one of these projects and we encourage other partners too.
He said, petroleum sector has always remained a vibrant sector contributing substantially towards the economic development of Pakistan, where the natural gas has played a pivotal role since beginning.
The Minister informed that Pakistan's commercially discovered natural gas reserves stand so far at 33 TCF, whereas its potential is estimated at 200 TCF.
Pakistan's current energy demand is about 42 million tonnes of oil equivalent of which about 38 per cent is being met by natural gas, he said, adding, however in order to meet the shortfall in the demand and supply, the government has to import huge quantities of oil worth several billion dollars.
To address this problem, the government has envisaged a two pronged policy of exploiting the national potential through aggressive oil and gas exploration and utilisation of the discovered reserves in a prudent manner by replacing imported oil with indigenous gas, he added.
He said, as Pakistan's major natural gas reserves are located in the central part, the gas is supplied to the consumers all over Pakistan, through the transmission and distribution networks of Sui Northern and Sui Southern gas companies.
This extensive country-wide network of natural gas supply system comprised some 7,800 kilometres of transmission lines and 55,000 kilometres of distribution lines, supplying gas to more than 3 million consumers in 240 towns and cities and 650 villages of the country, he added.
The Minister, however, pointed out that the present natural gas production of 2.4 billion cubic feet per day is far less than the demand in various sectors like power, fertilizer, industrial, domestic and commercial.
The Minister said, in order to improve the existing gas transmission capacity to carry the additional gas, which will be available from the new discoveries, Pakistan seeks investment in the augmentation of gas transmission network.
Usman further said, the government has also reached an agreement with the multinational companies on the gas pricing structure for the newly discovered gas fields which are expected to add one billion cubic feet per day.
"Gas sales agreement have been singed with the operators and the first new field, Zamzama, will come into production by March this year, he said, adding, We plan to start with the supply of about 120 million cubic feet gas per day from Zamzama field to Guddu power station".
The policy has been successful in winning the confidence of the industry and the sector has attracted a huge investment of about US $ 734 million both in the upstream and downstream sector, he added.
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