ISLAMABAD: In a bid to address supply shortfalls and bolster fuel production for the armed forces, the Petroleum Division has initiated measures to secure the transport of 5,000 barrels per day (BPD) of crude oil from the Naimat oilfield in Sindh to Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) in Rawalpindi.
A summary proposing the freight rate at Rs1,490 per barrel for transporting condensate from United Energy Pakistan’s (UEP) Naimat field has been submitted to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). Although the proposal was not considered in the ECC’s Tuesday meeting, it is expected to be tabled in the committee’s next session.
The ECC had already approved crude oil allocation to ARL in February 2024 to support enhanced production of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) and JP-8 jet fuel, particularly for military requirements. The urgency was reinforced in an April 23 directive from the Director General Oil, urging refineries to boost HSD and JP-8 output.
ARL, in a letter dated April 25, emphasized the need for swift approval of freight charges, citing a significant decline in crude oil production from northern fields—now averaging 39,000 BPD against its refining capacity of 53,400 BPD. The shortfall has forced ARL to operate below optimal levels.
