LAHORE: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) is likely to approve another mega project of laying the 1,100km long Karachi-Lahore gas pipeline within next 30 days after the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources gave a go ahead after a detailed study.

According to an official of the ministry, the project will be submitted to the Oil and Gas Regulatory (Ogra) for final approval. And as soon as Ogra approves it, the preparatory jobs such as bidding, award of contracts, work orders will start.

“The project comprises two portions—Karachi to Sawan gas field (section-1) in Khairpur district and from Sawan to Lahore (section-2). The section 1 and 2 will be completed by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) respectively,” SNGPL’s MD Amjad Latif told Dawn. “The project document is currently under process at the ECC and we expect its approval within a month. After ECC, the ministry will send the project to Ogra that is the last authority to approve it,” he explained.

He said the estimated cost of project was over Rs160 billion, including Rs50 to 55 billion for 350km section-1 (Karachi-Sawan) and Rs110 billion for 750km section-2 (Sawan-Lahore). “It will enable the government supply 1,200mmcfd of LNG to a number of areas of Sindh and Punjab after regasification from the LNG terminals at Port Qasim (Karachi) in future,” the MD said.