January 23, 2003	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 19, 1423

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LAHORE, Jan 22: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd on Wednesday stopped supply to commercial units in Punjab and the NWFP, and diverted gas to domestic users.

Sources in the company claimed that it was left with only 500 million cubic feet against a demand of 1100mcf. It had no option but to stop supplies to commercial consumers as well. The SNGPL had snapped supplies to all 2,500 industrial units on its system and over 200 compressed natural gas stations.

The company officials said it might restore partial supplies by Thursday morning and fully restore the system by the same evening. They elaborated that with the repair of a 24-inch-diameter line by midnight (Wednesday-Thursday), the company would be able to pump another 250 to 300mcf into the system and restore it partially. They hoped to get a second line of 30-inch diameter on the system by Thursday evening to restore full supplies.

“Even if the line is repaired by midnight, the company would not take the risk of restoring supplies late night. Any valve left open by mistake could wreak havoc,” they said.

Even if the line is repaired by midnight as planned by the SNGPL, the gas will take four to six hours to reach Lahore, and another four to six hours to be available in upper parts of the country.

Talking to Dawn, Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Ltd Managing Director Munawar Baseer Ahmad said the company would contribute another 100mcf of gas to stabilize the SNGPL system. His company was already diverting 75mcf to the northern areas of the country.

On Wednesday, Lahore got only 140mcf of gas against its requirement of 500mcf. However, by the evening two-thirds of Lahore was getting supplies, though in low pressure.

“The first Valve Station, some 18 miles down the Sui field, was blown up by an explosion,” said an official of the company. It was too early to comment on the exact nature of the explosion, but it could be safely assumed that it was an act of sabotage, he added. The blast left a 250-feet hole in the pipeline, which might take 30 to 36 hours to repair. The company is trying to construct a by-pass at the station and restore the supply. By Friday morning, he said, full supplies would be restored to all commercial and industrial units.

The government, said another official, would have to take some long- term measures to protect the lines because it was a second attack during the last 45 days.