SNGPL gets ISO, Ohsas certification

Lahore: The Sui Northern Gas pipelines Company (SNGPL) has managed to get the ISO-14001:2004 and Ohsas 18001:1999 certification enabling the mega company to participate in bidding for international projects.

SNGPL Managing Director Rasheed Lone said in a certification ceremony held at the company's headquarters that they were already bidding in Algeria and Libya.

'The company has pre-qualified technically in Algeria and now financial bidding is in progress,' said Lone, adding: 'It is also getting registration of various international agencies.' SNGPL Senior General Manager Imdad Hussain received the certification from Shahzad Khalid of the United Registrar of Systems.

But Lone admitted that the tendency of gas pilferage increased with the increase in the prices, fearing that his company's gas line losses could increase after the recent rising gas prices. About relief to the textile sector, he complained that the government had failed to get his company involved in lowering tariff for the textile sector.

But it had to be kept in mind that the loss of billions of rupees would be put under what head, which the company would incur in case any concession was given to the textile sector, he addeed. On domestic gas users, he also criticised the government for failing to touch the first three slabs of domestic users and warned that those using more gas had to pay more.

He then hinted that those using geyser and heaters in winter might have to pay Rs 15,000 in bills per month. In reference to exploring activities, he said his company had explored gas in Kohat coming into the system by April 2009. 'Thus an additional 250 million cubic feet gas will be added into our system, reducing the load from the system for the next two years,' he added.

In Sindh gas exploration, he said there was some litigation and once the issue was resolved the company would have additional 185 million cubic feet of gas. About the Iran-Pakistan-India joint adventure, he said the petroleum minister had held a meeting of the steering committee on July 17 to review the progress.

He said it had, in principle, decided that if Indians refuse to join the project Pakistan would start it on bilateral basis with Iranians who he claimed were not only interested but also confident in carrying out a feasibility study of the physical construction of the proposed pipeline.

He said they would be better suited since they were already working in the Pakistani environment and those coming from abroad were riskier and cost than local companies. He said they were already working in Darra Adam Khel to build a pipeline going from Kohat to Peshawar.