Year: 2021

Petrol, diesel output can be raised by 50-60pc, say experts

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petrol

The domestic production of high-speed diesel (HSD) and petrol could potentially go up by 60 per cent and 48pc, respectively, leading to a significant foreign exchange saving provided the local refineries operated at optimum capacity. The oil import bill, particularly of refined petroleum products, has been the largest chunk of about 83pc increase in imports in the first five months (July to November) of the current fiscal year, causing unrest among the government’s ranks, as money and share markets nosedived with the start of this month. Adviser to the Prime…

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SNGPL to Launch Campaign Against Use of Compressors

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Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Rawalpindi Region would launch a campaign to check the use of compressors. According to a SNGPL spokesman, the consumers of some localities were facing low gas pressure due to severe cold weather for some days. “SNGPL is trying to utilize all available resources to increase the gas pressure,” he claimed. To a question he said that SNGPL had issued a warning to the citizens against installing and using compressors, declaring them illegal and hazardous. He said that the teams would go door-to-door to ensure…

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Energy Reforms

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PAKISTAN’S energy sector is in a total mess, riddled with shortages, inefficiencies, massive debt, dependence on imported fossil fuels etc. We have consolidated different energy-related ministries and institutions under one ministry but failed to develop a comprehensive and integrated policy for ensuring national energy security. The lack of a well-defined national energy strategy also means the absence of a proper mechanism for coordination among different entities, which mostly work in silos and often in opposite directions. Thus, the government has never been able to do more than firefight at times…

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Petroleum Secretary Shown the Door

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In a surprise move, the federal government on Saturday removed Petroleum Secretary Dr Arshad Mahmood from his post, giving more powers to the Power Division, which is reportedly responsible for the imminent oil crisis. The country is heading towards a crisis because of a massive slump in the off-take of furnace oil by oil marketers and power plants. The Power Division had given a “firm commitment” of furnace oil requirements to the oil refineries and the Pakistan State Oil (PSO). Following the commitment, the PSO had arranged two cargoes of furnace oil.…

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13 Previously Approved RE Projects to Face Open Competitive Bidding

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The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) has almost closed the chapter on 13 Renewable Energy (RE) projects of 600MW with the clear decision that no exceptions are admissible to any Alternative and Renewable Energy (ARE) project and all such projects will be treated in line with the approved policy, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Chairman Tauseef H Farooqi had sought the case of 13 RE projects but his arguments were not accepted by the competent fora including the Power Division and its attached organization, National…

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