20000130

PSO, NLC, PRL sign oil tansportation accord

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: A tripartite agreement was signed here on Saturday between National Logistic Cell (NLC), Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) to transport about 400,000 tonnes of fuel oil for PSO from PRL.

The agreement was formally endorsed in the presence of SA Sabri, Director-General (Oil), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources. Under the agreement, about 400,000 fuel oil tonnes per year would be transported by NLC for PSO directly from PRL premises at Korangi.

Expected advantages of the agreement are that the highly congested Keamari installation area will be relieved to a considerable extent, environmental pollution will be reduced by diversion of fuel oil loading from existing Keamari installation area to a new site at PRL premises at Korangi and the flow of heavy traffic coming out of Keamari installation area will be reduced.

The proposed arrangement had been under discussion for almost last one year.

Usman Aminuddin, minister for petroleum and natural resources, in a meeting held in December 1999 at Karachi, had reviewed the logistic arrangements for the commissioning of the Parco mid-country refinery.

The minister, realising the urgency of the matter, had directed for an early finalisation of the agreement. The fuel oil loading project costing Rs 40 million is likely to be commissioned by June 2000.

The commissioning of fuel oil loading from Korangi will enable the release of PRL's fuel oil transport pipeline running between Korangi and Keamari. This pipeline, once released, will be used for transfer of imported HSD from Keamari to Parco's pumping station at Korangi for onward transportation to up-country.