Month: January 2021

Petroleum Division aligns strategy to streamline oil, gas sector

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ISLAMABAD-Cognizant of the country’s existing and future energy needs, the Petroleum Division (PD), during the year 2020, has aligned its strategy to streamline the matters related to the oil and gas sector. It introduced the ease-of-doing-business plan and took radical measures to ensure a level-playing field for all competitors in the energy sector. For the purpose, as many as 10 unnecessary steps, out of 24, were abolished to encourage investment in the petroleum sector. Recounting the government achievements in the oil and gas sector, a senior official privy to the…

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SSGC denies gas loadshedding as residents complain otherwise

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KARACHI: While the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has denied claims of loadshedding in domestic and industrial sectors, the consumers in Karachi continue to face gas shortages in extreme cold. In a press statement on Sunday, the company said that as per the government of Pakistan’s gas load management plan, domestic and zero rated industrial customers are to be given gas on top priority and the company is providing gas to these sectors without fail. As for the areas located at tail-end, it said that there is low gas pressure.…

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Electricity: how to make it affordable?

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ISLAMABAD: On privatisation of a public sector entity, the consumers expect – and in many cases, also experience – an improvement in services and prices. Not always though, and especially not when the element of competition is missing in the transformation from public to private sector. So, whenever the governments, in their rush to privatise, miss to put in the critical element of competition in their privatisation process, the consumers end up with a private monopoly, which at times is far more disadvantageous than a public sector monopoly. When power…

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Kuwait ships first low-sulphur diesel to Pakistan

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The cargo was shipped on board the Al-Salam 2 for Pakistan’s state-owned PSO, KPC said. The vessel departed from Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi on 1 January, according to Vortexa, and is due to arrive at Pakistan’s Port Qasim in Karachi on 6 January. Kuwait completed term deals in early-December to supply both 10ppm sulphur gasoil, or ULSD, and jet fuel to PSO in the first half of this year. KPC will supply 2mn t (14.9mn bl) of ULSD and 150,000t (1.2mn bl) of jet on a delivered basis at premiums of $1.95/bl and…

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PM’s help sought for approval of wind, solar energy projects

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ISLAMABAD: As electricity tariffs go out of reach of consumers, a group of foreign investors has sought Prime Minister Imran Khan’s intervention to remove roadblocks to cheap 425mw alternative and renewable energy (ARE) projects of less than 4 cents (Rs6.3) per unit. The Pakistan Foreign Investors Forum (PFIF) — a group of wind and solar energy sponsors — has complained to the prime minister that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) had cleared their generation tariffs — lowest in the country so far — but the Ministry of Energy…

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