Ogra again increased the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs 1.75 in the country and is forcing stations to sell gas on higher rates of Rs 57.03 against Rs 55.30.

Ogra has fixed the selling price of CNG for the Potohar Region, Khyber-Pakhtukhawa and Balochistan at Rs 57.03 against Rs 55.30 and for Sindh and the central Punjab Rs 55.30 against Rs 53.03.

Ogra on Sunday issued a notification on revised retail prices of compressed natural gas (CNG) in the country. On the other hand, the All Pakistan CNG Association has rejected the revised retail price of gas and decided to beseige the Ogra headquarters in protest on August 4.

The official spokesman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), Asad Latif, told The News that the concerned authority had issued a notification of the new revised retail price of CNG across the country. All stations would follow the rates of gas according to the notification, he said. He said that overall, Ogra had increased the rates by Rs 1.75 per kilogram throughout the country.

CNG Association Chairman Ghayas Abdullah Piracha said, “We have rejected the revised rates of gas by Ogra. The government wants to destroy the industry by increasing the rates of gas again and again. We have decided to besiege the Ogra headquarters on August 4 against the increase in gas rates, he said and added that several stations in the country were following the old rates of gas.

“The government wants to bring the rates of gas and diesel at par for destroying the CNG industry in the country. We want the government to decrease the rates of gas in order to decrease the rates of CNG to provide relief to consumers,” he said.

He warned the government of closing down all stations throughout the country if the authorities concerned did not take back the notification on price revision. CNG station owners told The News that Ogra had forced them to sell the gas according to the revised rates on Sunday.

[via The News]

According to International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles, as of December 2008, Pakistan has the world’s highest number of vehicles running on compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The number is 2 million. Pakistan also has the World’s highest numer of CNG refuelling stations. i.e. 2600 . This growth has been phenomenal noting that CNG as a fuel was made available in Pakistan, only in 1992.

Via Pakistaniat

Why Pakistan has got so many vehicles running on CNG? I believe, main reason is because gasoline (Petrol) prices in Pakistan are among the highest in the region as well as natural gas is found abundant and locally in Pakistan.

The use of CNG in vehicles brings an added blessing that it is much less polluting than regular gasoline (petrol). The emissions coming out of CNG vehicles consists of water vapors and carbon monoxide (CO). The CO content in CNG exhaust is also 90% less than CO found in gasoline (petrol) exhausts.

In Pakistan, car companies are now offering vehicles which come factory-fitted with CNG kits. These vehicles sell for a premium of approx 30000 rupees (US$ 375) as compared to gasoline (petrol) vehicles.

With Pakistan going full ahead with making CNG as the primary fuel source for transport, one concern is that Pakistan is depleting its Natural Gas reserves faster than ever before.