Pakistan Secures Another Qatari LNG Cargo Amid Power Sector Pressure
Pakistan has secured another LNG cargo from Qatar following diplomatic engagement involving Iranian officials, government officials said on Tuesday.
The latest shipment has crossed the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to reach Port Qasim within the coming days.
The cargo is the second Qatari LNG shipment secured by Pakistan this month and is expected to provide temporary support to the power sector amid ongoing gas supply challenges.
LNG Cargo Crosses Strait of Hormuz
A Petroleum Division official confirmed that the latest Qatari LNG cargo successfully passed through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan received its first Qatari LNG shipment of September on September 10. The vessel Al Marrouna arrived at Port Qasim carrying around 81,936 metric tonnes of LNG from Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal.
That shipment had crossed the Strait of Hormuz on September 7 under the government-to-government LNG agreement between Pakistan and Qatar.
Officials said the latest cargo has been secured at a price equivalent to 13.37% of Brent.
LNG to Support Power Sector
The additional gas supply is expected to offer temporary relief to the power sector, which is facing gas shortages and prolonged loadshedding in some parts of the country.
Officials said some areas are currently experiencing between six and 12 hours of loadshedding.
Pakistan is also monitoring gas supplies across its transmission network as domestic production faces disruptions at several fields.
Gas Line-Pack Position
Data for September 21 showed that gas line-pack stood at around 4,792 million cubic feet (MMcf).
The power sector was consuming approximately 208 MMcf per day of gas, while the fertiliser sector’s consumption remained unchanged at 89 MMcf per day.
Meanwhile, several gas fields reported reduced supplies or operational disruptions.
Production Disruptions Reported
Raw gas supplies from the Qadirpur field to Liberty Power have remained suspended since September 17 over non-payment issues.
Gas input from MEL’s GTH plant was also reduced by 37 MMcf per day on September 20 due to its annual maintenance shutdown. Current input from the plant stands at around 52 MMcf per day.
The Nashpa plant reported an 83 MMcf per day reduction following an issue at the facility, with current input also reported at 83 MMcf per day.
Gas input from MOL’s CPF was reduced by 158 MMcf per day due to an operational problem, while current input stands at around 154 MMcf per day.
Despite these disruptions, officials said there is currently no forced curtailment of gas from any source on the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) network.
