KHAIRPUR, May 25: A powerful blast damaged Sui Southern Gas Company's 16-inch diameter Indus Right Bank Pipeline (IRBP) at 3am on Tuesday. The incident took place at about 38km upstream of Nawabshah at Veho Wah canal crossing.
According to a press statement issued by the SSGC, a 200-foot segment of the pipeline was damaged by the blast caused by a powerful explosive. The explosion was so powerful that one 30-foot piece of pipeline was blown about 300 feet away.
A spokesperson of the company said that the "Emergency Response System" of the SSGC was activated immediately after receipt of the first report and requisite preventive measures were taken.
The pipeline's block valves located upstream and downstream of the blast site were closed immediately to prevent any major loss of gas. The spokesperson said that the affected pipeline was carrying gas from nearby gas fields in Sindh to Nawabshah, Sukkur, Pano Aqil, Khairpur and adjoining towns and villages.
The company has taken load management steps and curtailed gas supply to industry in Sukkur and Rohri areas, the press statement added. The SSGC was in a position to maintain gas supply to the domestic and commercial customers for about eight to 10 hours, from the available line pack pressure.
The spokesperson further said that due to extensive damage and repair work thereon, the towns of Padidan, Mehrabpur, Sitarja, Ranipur, Kumb, Kotdeji, Khairpur, Pir Jo Goth, Sukkur, Rohri, Pano Aqil and Lakhi would have low gas pressure. Gas supply will, however, be curtailed for about 24 hours to allow for the repairs.
The company has informed people of the affected towns about the emergency situation and appealed to them to keep their gas appliances closed to prevent any accident.
The SSGC repair squads have been mobilized at the site and repair work has started. It is expected that the damaged section will be "repaired in the next 36 hours" and gas supply will be restored to the affected areas by Wednesday afternoon.
The SSGC, the spokesperson said, had taken a number of measures to beef up security of the pipeline system and police contingents had been deployed at key installations. The SSGC has also approached the federal and provincial governments and the local authorities to provide full security cover to the pipelines.
OUR KHAIRPUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS: The noise caused by the pipeline explosion was even heard in villages lying at a distance of about 10 to 15 kilometres. Announcements made through loudspeakers urged the people not to light a match stick or make any other kind of fire.
The supply of gas from Kandhra headquarters control station was immediately suspended. Police reached the spot and cordoned off the area.
