Due to a significant drop in domestic gas consumption, Pakistan is reportedly seeking to defer 177 LNG cargoes from Qatar over the next five years, as reported by The News on Monday. The deferred cargoes would be supplied in 2031-32. This arrangement would allow Pakistan to defer a liability of $5.6 billion until 2031, the expiration year of one of the long-term LNG supply agreements.
A senior official from the Petroleum Division stated that a delegation, led by Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali Pervaiz Malik, is set to travel to Qatar on Monday to present this proposal. The official explained that from October 2025 to 2030, the 177 LNG cargoes have become surplus due to lower consumption by the power and export sectors.
The official also noted that the crisis of imported gas glut has worsened due to power sector companies defaulting on their contracts by not using the agreed-upon amount of gas. This has led to an all-time high in gas pressure within the main RLNG pipeline, with the line pack pressure often reaching 5.170 bcf. When pressure exceeds 5 bcf, it is considered a danger zone, and the national gas network could be at risk. To manage this, authorities have reportedly been forced to close gas wells producing between 270-400 mmcfd.
