Energy Self-Reliance

In a world driven by technology, energy plays a dominant role. Most countries have evolved special mechanisms to ensure affordable and sustainable energy resources. The recent conflict in the Middle East has exposed global sensitivities to the disruption of the flow of oil and gas. The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has sent global shock waves through energy-deficient nations. Finally, some good news is expected this week to streamline and stabilise the flow of much-needed fuel.

The year was 1978. As a young engineer, I had the chance to visit the Sui gas fields in the Dera Bugti area of Balochistan. It was a massive deposit of God-sent natural gas, ready to use. Discovered in 1952 and estimated at 12 TCF (trillion cubic feet), it was considered one of the largest discoveries of its time. PPL (Pakistan Petroleum Limited), a joint venture company of the Government of Pakistan (GOP) and a UK entity, was pumping out gas. Two public-sector companies were created for the transmission and distribution of gas across Pakistan. SSGC (Sui Southern Gas Company) was the first to deliver this clean fuel to Karachi, the commercial hub of the country. SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd) then connected Faisalabad to the national gas grid, followed by Lahore. Today, Pakistan has a massive network of underground pipelines, which is well kept and maintained according to international standards. It was a very impressive set-up. My interest was mainly in the corrosion protection of the buried, coated mild-steel pipeline. We travelled by road from Sui to Rahim Yar Khan, checking the PSP (pipe-to-soil potential of the pipe). Hope was alive; the country was progressing, together with energy security.

Pakistan remained an energy-surplus nation until around 2002, when shortages started to appear. Due to misuse and mismanagement, the gift of nature was consumed much ahead of its time. No serious work was carried out on other deposits and alternative fuel options. Coal, which had fuelled the entire Industrial Revolution in the West, was totally ignored. An Energy Foresight Committee was formed by the Planning Commission, headed by Engr. M. B. Ahmed, Managing Director of SSGC. As Chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), with my background in metallurgy and mining, I was tasked with covering the development of coal as a source of energy. Thar being the largest deposit (175 billion tons), it was decided to mine the black gold that lay buried at a shallow depth of about 150 metres but was covered by water.

It was not an easy undertaking, as the world was moving away from this fuel, which had played a pivotal role in its industrial growth. Considering the importance of energy self-reliance, I did not give up. Despite several hiccups, we were finally able to mine the black gold. Currently, power generation has started. Successful gasification has also taken place. A urea plant has been announced that will convert the gas produced (syngas) into much-needed fertiliser.

Energy self-reliance is taken very seriously worldwide, but not in the land of the pure. Despite resources and potential, the crisis persists mainly because of a lack of direction and gross mismanagement. Circular debt keeps spiralling upwards. A few years ago, I had the chance to visit Shenhua, the energy giant of China. We were taken to its control room. It was like running an empire. The state-owned enterprise has its own ships, railways, and mines to ensure energy security.

In the USA, after the oil embargo of the seventies, President Jimmy Carter promised his nation that the country would never again face a fuel crisis. The DOE (Department of Energy) was created and started research on all possible energy options. Currently, shale gas is being used as an affordable source of energy. India has recently announced a massive programme based on the gasification of its coal deposits.

In the land of the pure, a Department of Energy was separated a few years ago from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, but energy insecurity continues. Today, the republic is out of fuel, and its industry has become non-competitive due to high fuel costs. Hydel projects have not come online. The potential of Thar coal is not being fully exploited. New gas discoveries have not been commissioned. The shale gas option has not been taken seriously. Sui gas was a gift of nature in 1952, and so is Thar coal in our times.

In such circumstances, I am reminded of the words of the famous poet Munir Niazi, who talked about the magical spell (Asaib ka Saya) on the nation that keeps holding us back. Some soul-searching is required before it is too late.