SSGC Announces Suspension of Gas Supply Amidst Cyclone Threat

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Limited halted gas supply to all industries. This includes power generation units, the fertilizer sector, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations.

SSGC stated that this decision is due to the anticipated arrival of cyclone Biparjoy and the current shortage of natural gas and re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG).

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported that cyclone Biparjoy is 370 kilometers south of Karachi.

The Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, predicted that the cyclone would hit Keti Bandar on Thursday around 11 am.

SSGC announced, “The gas supply has been suspended until further notice from 7:00 am today (Wednesday) morning.” They had previously sent notices regarding the gas shutdown to all industrial and CNG associations via email.

In alignment with the government’s directives, the company promised to prioritize supplying gas to the power sector to ensure consistent power for consumers.

The SSGC’s Plan to Support K-Electric

SSGC also pledged to provide enough indigenous gas and RLNG supply to meet K-Electric’s operational requirements amid the cyclone threat.

According to the weather forecast department, the cyclone has moved north-northeastward over the northeast Arabian Sea in the last six hours. The cyclone’s current location is approximately 370km south-southwest of Karachi, 355km south-southwest of Thatta, and 290km south-southwest of Keti Bandar.

The department detailed, “Maximum sustained surface winds are 150-160 Km/hour with gusts of 180 Km/hour around the system center, and sea conditions are phenomenal around the system center with a maximum wave height of 30 feet.”

The PMD indicated that environmental conditions favor maintaining the cyclone’s strength throughout the forecast period, including sea surface temperatures of 29-30°C, low vertical wind shear, and upper-level divergence.