He said that LNG storage facilities at Port Qasim need to be built and an LNG pipeline needs to be laid to ensure direct transport to CNG stations and industries etc where there is a shortage of pipelines. Talking to Business Recorder, he said that local gas companies should supply natural gas to domestic consumers at Ogra's approved rates whereas industrial users and CNG sector should be supplied LNG.
Private sector has also suggested that it is not practical to unload 145,000m³ vessels but it can be unloaded by using tankers. Each tanker is approximately 45m³ which would need more than 3000 truckloads to unload one vessel, he said, adding that it is not feasible but if for example they have 20,000 m3 it can be unloaded in 444 truckloads. It is doable over a week's time, he said adding that the price of each ISO tank is $ 150,000 which implies that a fleet of, at least, 100 is needed to make it practical at $ 15 million.
Pakistan has also asked for additional import of LNG from Qatar during summer season, which will be in addition to the LNG being imported under the deal signed in February 2016. The federal government has also asked for LNG import on deferred payment and the relevant authorities in Qatar have rejected it.
