Islamabad, Mar 15 2025: Pakistan has once again diverted an incoming liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment originally scheduled for next month, as the country’s gas transmission network faces heightened pressure.
The system’s gas flow has been fluctuating between 4.9 and 5 billion cubic feet (bcf), prompting authorities to take preventive measures to avoid a potential overload that could disrupt supply.
Earlier, Pakistan had approached Qatar with a request to delay five additional Third liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments under an existing long-term contract, but the proposal was not accepted. However, Qatar had previously agreed to defer five cargoes to 2026.
This latest diversion follows the redirection of two Third liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from the Italian energy firm ENI, one in February and another in March.
The decision comes amid a steady decline in gas consumption within Pakistan, with demand dropping by 150-200 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) every month.
Pakistan Third liquefied natural gas (LNG) Limited (PLL), the state-run entity responsible for LNG procurement, has a long-term agreement with ENI to receive one shipment per month at a price linked to 12.14% of Brent crude rates.
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Given the excess supply, the government is now in negotiations with ENI to reroute the remaining eight LNG cargoes originally scheduled for delivery between May and December 2025.
Although PLL officials refrained from confirming the specifics due to a confidentiality agreement with ENI, they did not deny that discussions regarding further diversions were ongoing.
In January, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) formally requested the federal government to redirect 11 long-term LNG shipments from ENI due to excess supply.
The National Power Control Cell (NPCC) also confirmed that power sector demand for RLNG would not rise significantly during the summer, reinforcing the need to divert surplus cargoes to the global market.
