SNGPL manages to reduce UFG losses

Islamabad:

The management of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) said the public gas utility has made consistent efforts to reduce its unaccounted gas (UFG) ratio from 8.98% to 5.15% over the past four years.

Over the four-year period, the company’s cumulative UFG shrank significantly from 62,627 million cubic feet (8.98%) in FY 2019-20 to 32,588 million cubic feet (5.15%) in 2022-23. “Efforts are constantly being made to further reduce the UFG level,” an SNGPL spokesperson said.

A meeting between officials of the Petroleum Department and the board and management of SNGPL was held in Islamabad the other day, which was chaired by Petroleum Minister Dr Musadik Malik along with Petroleum Secretary Momin Agha.

The meeting participants scrutinized SNGPL’s overall performance, particularly in terms of controlling UFG – a term used to denote losses caused by theft and gas leaks.

The minister lauded the efforts being made by the management of SNGPL to enhance efficiency in the operations of the company. Efforts to control the UFG and successful progress in the Town Border Station (TBS) installation project were also lauded.

The company monitors natural gas losses at micro levels in accordance with the directives of the Petroleum Directorate. SNGPL has completed installation of 1,470 TBS/metering facilities in five major cities namely Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Mardan under phase-I of the metering project.

Meters in the remaining TBS will be installed in the second phase, for which spa work has already been completed.

Earlier this month, the government kept natural gas prices unchanged with effect from July 1, 2024, denying consumers some relief at a time of significantly high inflation and a rising tax burden.

Although in its decision sent to the federal government, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has reduced gas prices by up to 10% for utilities for the financial year 2024-25, the government has refrained from passing on the reduction. to consumers.

The regulator cut the tariff while fixing the revenue requirement of Sui gas companies for FY25.