• PM Imran Khan chairs meeting to review demand and supply of domestic gas and LNG shortfall.
• PM orders officials to eliminate factors hindering installation of new LNG terminals and virtual pipeline projects.
• Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Petroleum Division, and OGRA told to coordinate and take all the other stakeholders in the loop.

ISLAMABAD: Considering that gas is a cheap natural oil, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ordered the authorities concerned to expedite the issuance of licenses for exploring domestic gas, reports The News.

The guidelines were issued at a meeting hosted by the Prime Minister to review the country’s gas situation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also instructed officials to remove barriers to the installation of new LNG terminals and visible pipeline projects.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) have been instructed to coordinate and take all other stakeholders, including investors, into the loop.

In addition, Prime Minister Imran Khan has instructed officials to ensure the operation of the North and South gas pipeline without delay of the agreed time line, emphasizing the importance of this work.

During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the need for and supply of gas stations, shortages and imported LNG.

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The meeting announced that the current demand for gas in the country is 4,700 mmcfd, which rises to 6,000-6,500 mmcfd during the winter. The current domestic supply is up to 3,300 mmcfd, which decreases annually. The resulting deficit should be controlled by LNG imports.

With the current infrastructure, there is a shortage of about 1,000 mmcfd in winter where many options are accepted. In the short term, the existing capacity of local terminals is improved and the process for licensing visible pipelines is accelerated.

Additionally, the installation of two new LNG terminals is ongoing and all barriers are effectively removed.

The meeting was attended by party ministers Shaukat Tareen, Hammad Azhar, Asad Umar, Ali Haider Zaidi, SAPM Mahmood Moulvi and officials from the relevant departments.