Pipeline pressure breaches danger mark, rupture risk triggers curbs

Pakistan’s gas transmission system has again entered a critical zone, with the main line’s ‘line pack’ rising to 5.177 billion cubic feet — beyond the 5.0 BCF danger limit — raising fears of a rupture that could disrupt industry and power generation nationwide, officials said.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited attributed the pressure build-up to a steep drop in re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) offtake by power plants, which drew only 293 million cubic feet on Wednesday despite sovereign take-or-pay contracts for LNG. To relieve pressure, authorities curtailed local gas production by around 300 MMcf, a move that has frustrated exploration and production companies concerned about potential reservoir damage and lasting output losses.

The system strain comes even as one ENI LNG cargo per month continues to be diverted overseas — a practice expected to last through December amid subdued domestic demand. Supply from the Bettani field remains suspended after an October 18 sabotage attack ruptured an eight-inch pipeline, while flows from the Dakhni plant are down for a scheduled 21-day turnaround that began October 15.

Energy officials noted that RLNG plants are dispatched strictly under the economic merit order to avoid burdening consumers, which at present keeps some capacity idle. Refiners, including Attock Refinery Limited, have warned that deeper gas curtailments can undercut crude production and strain refinery operations.

Experts caution that unchecked pressure could risk a failure in the main trunk, jeopardising fuel availability for factories, households and grid stability. They urged better coordination of supply, demand and maintenance to keep the system within safe operating limits.