KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Wednesday suspended gas supply to all industries in a bid to combat the possible adverse impact of Cyclone Biparjoy.
In a statement, the company said it had stopped gas supplies to all industries including their units for power generation, fertiliser sector and CNG stations.
“This decision has been taken in the backdrop of possible striking of cyclone Biparjoy and considering the shortage of natural gas and RLNG,” the company said.
The firm added the gas supply had been suspended from 7:00 am on Wednesday until further notice.
“In this regard, SSGC had sent notices of gas shutdown to all industrial and CNG associations through e-mail last night,” the company said. “Adhering to the government’s directives in view of this cyclone, maximum gas will be given to the power sector to ensure power supply to the consumers.”
SSGC is ensuring enough supply of both indigenous gas and RLNG to K-Electric to meet its operational requirements, the statement said.
RLNG terminals shut down
Gas supply from Qatar has also been suspended until June 16 after Port Qasim closed its RLNG terminals due to the approaching cyclone Biparjoy.
The Pakistan Petroleum Association (PPA) said that around 600 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas would not be able to enter the system.
The PPA said that Pakistan RLNG Limited and Engro Terminal had closed and ships had been informed to go into the open sea.
RLNG orders from Qatar have been suspended until June 16 as the cyclone nears the Pakistan and Indian coastline.
It was also informed that a Russian ship that brought 45 metric tons of crude oil to Pakistan would be unloaded at the earliest.
PPA secretary general Yasir Raza Chaudhry said that the Sindh government, Karachi Port Authority, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and Climate Change ministry had ordered all the ships to go into the open sea to be safe from the cyclone effects.
Agritech halts urea plant operations
Agritech Limited halted its urea plant operations, as the company failed to secure gas supplies due to the looming threat of Cyclone Biparjoy. The suspension comes as a precautionary measure.
The company, formerly Pak-American Fertilizers Limited, which produces urea and GSSP (Granular Single Super Phosphate) fertilizer, shared the development in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday.
“The urea plant operations of the company will stand suspended with effect from June 13, 2023 due to suspension of gas supply as a result of the Cyclone Biporjoy threat alert,” read the notice.
The company said the threat alert of the cyclone, hampered the “birthing of Regasified Liquid Natural Gas (RLNG) cargoes … thus curtailing RLNG flow to SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited) and adversely affecting pipeline pack levels in the SNGPL system.”
“The decision to suspend operations was made to ensure the safety and integrity of the gas supply infrastructure during the cyclone threat. Cyclone Biporjoy has been closely monitored, and precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any potential damages or accidents.”
Agritech owns and operates urea manufacturing plant at Mianwali, Punjab. The company also operates the manufacturing facility of GSSP at Haripur Hazara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The company said it will provide regular updates regarding the resumption of urea plant operations once the situation stabilizes and the gas supply is restored.
