Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited

Economic Review, Feb-March, 2004

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited was established in the year, 1963. It is thus 40 years of age now. Its basic functions are transmission and distribution of gas. It is a public limited company, with 36% shares of the Government of Pakistan and 64% that the general public.

Two companies are reasonable for transmission amid distribution of natural gas, namely Sui Southern Gas Co. Ltd. and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. (SNGPL) is the biggest gas company, which supplies gas in the provinces of Punjab and NWFP and sells 65% of the natural gas of the total sales of gas of the both the companies put together.

I has till today supplied gas as Fuel to 2.1 million consumers including industrial, commercial and domestic. Every year one hundred thousand consumes are added to its already existing strength of consumes. So for SNGPL has supplied gas to 156 cities and towns plus 304 villages.

SNGPL has its High Pressure Transmission Pipelines network stretched and spread over more than 5400 Kms. and its distribution system is spread over 34,000 Kms. The company is always keenly interested to give quality service to its valuable customers. It deems it its duty to supply pure, clean and pollution free fuel to its customers. Natural gas being supplied by SNGPL is environment friendly and thus comparatively far better than other fuels like coal, timber and oil. Housewives had great inconvenience in running their kitchen when gas was not yet discovered. Although gas is now being used usefully in industrial as well commercial concerns, it has eased out the problem of housewives in availing this clean and environment friendly fuel in their homes and heaths. It is also helping in the environmental protection, which is useful in promoting health friendly atmosphere.

SNGPL is also supplying CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) to the country's transport, which is serving two vital roles, saving the country's valuable foreign exchange, which was hitherto being spent on the import of POL and keeping the environment pollution free.

SNGPL is getting supply of gas from 18 different gas fields. In line with the Government's policy SNGPL has started on a very vital project of great national importance, viz, displacement of the imported furnace oil by gas in running thermal power plans especially in the region of Multan. Another major objective of this protect is to properly, effectively and usefully utilize natural gas recently discovered in the southern areas of the country i.e. In the gas fields of Sawan, Zamzaman and Badar.

As regards laying of high pressure gas transmission lines and other constructional activities, SNGPL has highly qualified engineers, technicians, all the required know-how, machinery and equipment for planning, designing, construction, operation and maintenance of its projects confidently and independently on international standards. Several years ago high pressure transmission line laying and other construction and installation work was carried out by foreign companies like Mothercat Limited, which resulted in the out flow of valuable foreign exchange.

With the permission of the government, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited laid some high pressure transmission gas lines including Muridke-Rahwali and Larh Multan lines on trial basis. The construction work of SNGPL was then examined by the World Bank and was found equivalent to the acceptable international standards. Sui Northern ever-since that time is engaged in the construction of gigantic projects, independently, efficiently and proficiently, thus saving millions of dollars every year, which otherwise used to have been incurred when the construction was carried out by foreign companies.

In order to ease out the problems and difficulties of gas consumers, the Company gas opened Distribution Offices as well as Consumer Service Centres in almost all the cities and towns to ensure timely delivery of the bills, issue computerized duplicate bills, arrange for gas connections, to get leakage of gas rectified, satisfy the consumes in case they have any reservation about the gas bills, introduction of urgent gas connection scheme. For maintaining a check amid balance, the Company has also formed a Task Force.

At times Sui Northern Gas gives useful suggestions to its consumers for controlling gas consumption and resultantly bringing the gas bills under control through PTV, Radio Pakistan and print media.

The company appeals to the consumers to have their in-house gas line properly checked to be certain that there is no leakage. A simple and straightforward way is that all ovens, heaters and other installations may be closed and then the gas meter may be checked. If the meter reading is still increasing, there must be leakage in the in-house line, which must be got rectified to avoid wastage of gas and increase in the gas bills. Gas geysers because of their excessive consumption of gas are called gas eaters. Now that summer has already started, it should be ensured that no geyses or water heaters are put to use. As mostly geyses are installed on the sideways of the house or on the back side, these are out of sight. We must, therefore, ensure that they are completely shut off.