It is feared that the gas crisis will aggravate this year as the government is chalking out a gas management plan ahead of the advent of winter season, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday. 

Sources informed that the petroleum division has sought details of gas load management plan from the gas companies. 

The petroleum division will make an estimation regarding total availability of gas and its demand. It is feared that this year, the gas crisis would become worse as compared to the last year’s gas shortage. 

Sources said that the government would do planning for the import of LNG in winters and it would also prioritize sectors where the gas would be provided.

The gas load management plan would be made for a period starting from 15 Nov, 2022 and ending on 15 Feb, 2023. 

It is feared that the gas supply would be affected due to floods in Balochistan and Sindh.

Sources said that it is expected that the average daily gas demand would remain 8 billion cubic feet (CF) and its total daily production is likely to remain 3.75 billion CF. They said that the government would import 1 billion CF LNG. 

The daily gas shortfall is expected to reach 3.25 billion CF in the winters. 

Sources said that the domestic consumers would be the first priority to whom gas would be provided. Besides this, the government is mulling to exempt the zero-rated industry from gas loadshedding. 

Provision of gas to the electricity production units would be the number two priority for the government. 

Sources said that the timings for the supply of gas to the general industry would be fixed. 

However, the gas supply to the cement, fertilizers and CNG industries would be conditional to the availability of the gas.

Reporter Awais Kiyani