Govt mulls $2b LNG import decision

The government has yet to approve a plan for 22 LNG cargoes estimated to cost nearly $2 billion, The Express Tribune reported on October 22. The Petroleum Division had asked the Cabinet Committee on Energy to authorise the import process earlier this month, warning that delays could leave winter demand unmet.

Officials expect gas use to rise from 850 million cubic feet per day to 1,600 during winter, with SNGPL demand projected to double from 550 mmcfd to 1,100. The proposal gives households priority, while industrial, power and fertiliser users would receive supplies when available, and CNG deliveries could be reduced.

The plan includes four cargoes arranged by Pakistan State Oil with other participants, alongside proposed purchases from Azerbaijan and a US-nominated supplier. Qatar’s force majeure extension until November has added uncertainty to deliveries, while officials cited import costs as a reason for the delay.