Research-oriented Effort Needed To Control UFG: Chairman SSGC

Chief Guest Lt. General Javed Zia (R), Chairman SSGC speaking at the Passing Out Ceremony of the workshop on Combating on the menace of UFG at Dawoo University of Engineering and Technology. Member of SSGC's top management including Amin Rajput, Acting MD, Irfan Zafar, SGM (UFG) and Brig. Mohammad Abuzar (R), DG (SS & CGTO) also participated in the Ceremony.

KARACHI: Unaccounted-for-Gas (UFG) or line losses is a major menace SSGC and SNGPL have been facing for long time with the result that both the companies are facing financial losses and Pakistan’s economy is being impacted in a major way.    

This was stated by Lt. General Javed Zia (R), Chairman, SSGC while speaking as the chief guest at the passing out ceremony of the Dawood University Engineering Technology (DUET) workshop entitled ‘Combating the menace of UFG’ in which a number of DUET graduates and students participated. A number of students presented their papers on different aspects of UFG to whom the Chairman conferred certificates.  

The SSGC Chairman said that Pakistan’s fortunes can change for the better due to the country’s youth and stressed that research-oriented collaboration should be encouraged between SSGC and DUET to help combat UFG. He said that in order to control the rising UFG trend, SSGC would be receptive to any idea suggested by DUET to control UFG.    

Chairman, SSGC complimented DUET’s Vice Chancellor Dr. Faizullah Abbasi and his team for bringing into the forefront the important issue of UFG through this workshop. He stressed on the need for analyzing the factors causing the phenomenon of UFG so that it can be better controlled.

Chief Guest Lt. General Javed Zia (R), Chairman SSGC and Amin Rajput, Acting MD, seen here with the faculty of Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) at the conclusion of the Passing Out Ceremony of the workshop on Cobating on the menace of UFG. Irfan Zafar, SGM, SGM (UFT) and Brig. Mohammad Abuzar (R), DG (SS & CGTO) can also be seen in the group photo. The Chairman and Acting MD also conferred certificates to the workshop participants. Dr. Faizullah Abbasi, Vice Chancellor, DUET hosted the event.

In his address, Dr. Faizullah Abbasi thanked SSGC management for gracing the occasion and said that it has in its ranks engineers who have worked dedicatedly towards curbing UFG through a number of measures including pressure profiling, system augmentation and rehabilitation. He said that for the first time in its history, DUET is introducing programs such as Cathodic Protection, Distribution and Gas Measurement and hoped that gas utilities such as SSGC would provide them with a forum to engage themselves in hands-on training as well as hub for research.

In his remarks, Amin Rajput, Acting MD, termed UFG as a monster and said that the phenomenon of rapid urbanization and expansion of distribution network have also contributed to rising UFG. The Acting MD said that UFG is not just restricted to gas utility companies but power sector companies such as WAPDA are also facing Transmission and Distribution losses. He said that SSGC has reconstituted its Surveillance and Monitoring Department to create Control Gas Theft Operations Department to make it more focused and result-oriented towards clamping down on gas theft, a major factor contributing towards UFG.      

SSGC was represented at the closing ceremony by Irfan Zafar, SGM (UFG), Brig.     Mohammad Abuzar (R), DG (CGTO), Nadeem Qayuum, DGM (Distribution-Central) and  Shoaib Ahmed, Company Secretary. Engr. Salim Ahmed Mughal, DUET Professor and resource person of the workshop welcomed the guests. At the conclusion shields were presented to SSGC’s MD and Chairman by the VC, DUET.