KARACHI – Pakistan has received its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment for October, offering some relief to the country’s energy supply as part of its winter gas supply management.
However, concerns are growing over meeting domestic demand during the winter of 2026-27.
The LNG vessel Al Areesh, carrying a shipment from Qatar, arrived at the Engro LNG terminal on Tuesday at 11:05 am. The process of converting the imported LNG back into natural gas began at noon, according to the provided information.
Pakistan is expected to require 24 LNG cargoes to meet its gas needs during the upcoming winter season. However, rising consumption and constraints on available supplies could put pressure on the country’s energy system.
Gas demand from Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) is projected to increase sharply from the current 550 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to 1,550 mmcfd during winter.
Similarly, demand served by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) is expected to rise from 300 mmcfd to around 500 mmcfd.
The widening gap between demand and available supplies has raised concerns about potential gas shortages across several sectors. Export-oriented industries, non-export industries, compressed natural gas (CNG) stations and cement manufacturers could face supply disruptions during the colder months.
The arrival of the October shipment provides a limited boost to supplies, but ensuring adequate LNG availability throughout the winter will remain a major challenge as consumption increases nationwide.
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