The number of court cases involving the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has surged by 41 percent during the financial year 2020-21 (FY21) compared to the previous year.
On Friday, the OGRA released the annual report regarding its role as a regulator to safeguard the public interest in midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.
The numbers of court cases involving OGRA were 822 in FY21 against 582 during FY20, depicting an increase of around 240 cases (or 41 percent) within one year.
Similarly, pending cases in FY21 were 490 compared to 32 in FY20. The report does not mention the amount spent on court cases.
The number of councils hired by OGRA also doubled in FY21 to 435 against 207 in the previous year. The highest number of cases (301) was filed in the Sindh High Court during FY21, compared to 73 in FY20.
In the apex court, 13 cases were registered in FY21 out of which nine were pending. 301 cases were filed in Singh High Court out of which 277 cases were pending. In Lahore High Court, 286 cases were filed in FY21 out of which 95 were pending, while 37 cases were filed in Islamabad High Court out of which 24 remained pending. In Peshawar High Court, 58 cases were filed out of which 24 remained pending, while out of a total of four cases filed in the Balochistan High Court, one remained pending. 121 cases were filed in civil, accountability, and other courts.
Licenses Granted by OGRA
In FY21, OGRA granted licenses and performed other regulated activities. The licenses granted for LNG included
- M/s K-Electric Limited, for construction and operation of natural gas /Regassified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) transmission pipeline from Port Qasim to K-Electric’s Bin Qasim Power Complex
- M/s Tabeer Energy Marketing (Private) Limited
- M/s Energas Marketing (Private) Limited
- M/s Shell Energy Pakistan (Private) Limited, to carry out the regulated activity for the sale of Natural Gas / RLNG to the consumers;
- M/s Energas Terminal (Private) Limited, for construction and operation of 30-inch diameter and nine kilometres long Natural Gas/RLNG transmission pipeline from ENERGAS Terminal to Sui Southern Gas Company’s Custody Transfer Station at Port Qasim.
OGRA, for the first time, granted five licenses for transportation of LPG through road bowsers.
During FY21, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) built additional oil storage of 95,379 metric tons including 50,019 metric tons of Motor gasoline and 45,360 metric tons of High-Speed Diesel in the country.
OGRA also entertained consumers’ complaints against natural gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and oil companies free of cost. These complaints were resolved expeditiously and in a judicious manner by providing remedial measures.
Furthermore, OGRA resolved 8,272 complaints out of 8,361 during FY21 and provided financial relief of Rs. 118.31 million. 1,341 gas connections were provided to consumers due against their complaints.
