Hascombe-Progas Engagement Session on LPG Autogas
May 2009
Progas Pakistan Ltd held an engagement session with the retailers and petrol station dealers of Hascombe Storage Ltd which is a local Oil Marketing Company. It has established more than a hundred petrol filling stations under the brand name of Hascol. These engagement sessions are part of the Progas’ business policy of promoting LPG as an automotive fuel.
Progas is also negotiating with a number of oil marketing companies to establish additional facilities at their existing forecourts to retail LPG at the pump. This process would give the drivers wider choice of fuel and discourage decanting, illegal and unsafe sale of LPG for use in vehicles.
Two major sessions were held at Lahore and Islamabad. The enthusiasm of the participants showed the interest of the industry in the use of LPG as an automotive fuel.
Further sessions are planned for the future.
Chevron-Progas Engagement Session on LPG Autogas
08 November 2008, Karachi
Chevron Pakistan Limited and Progas Pakistan Limited held an engagement session on LPG autogas at a local club. Chevron's invited its retailers and fuel station owners from around Karachi for the open meeting. The underlying aim was to increase awareness about LPG autogas and its use worldwide as an automotive fuel. More sessions are planned for other cities.
Mr. Abbas Bilgrami, CEO and MD of Progas Pakistan Ltd chaired the session. After an overview of the LPG industry, Mr. Bilgrami said that LPG is an environmentally clean and efficient fuel. The number of cars using LPG in various countries is growing very rapidly. He said people in Pakistan would also have a choice to switch over to a alternate fuel which is efficient, eco-friendly and had distinct advantages over conventional fuels. He said Progas Pakistan Ltd is looking forward to work with prospective partners.
He said LPG as an auto fuel is not new to Pakistan. Although the first LPG filling station has yet to start operations but still there are an estimated 300,000 vehicles in the country using LPG autogas. All of it is done through illegal decanting from domestic and commercial cylinders. Most of the vehicles are small commercial tri-wheelers and taxi cabs. Currently there are an estimated 15 million vehicles in the world using LPG.
2nd LPG Expo and Conference-2008 held on 08 April 2008 at Serena Hotel, Islamabad
8 April 2008, Islamabad
The LPG Expo and Conference is an annual event and a venue for networking and sharing of experience of industry professionals. The event also provides an opportunity to allied engineering industries to display their products. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, then the minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources presided over the conference.
Progas Pakistan Limited participated as one of the lead sponsors. Its display pavilion was the main highlight of the event. The centre piece was a multi-fuel experimental Suzuki Potohar jeep, converted to run on LPG, CNG and petrol. There was also a tri-wheeler rickshaw also configured to run on these fuels. In addition, an agricultural pump and a small generator set running on LPG were also on display. There were LPG conversion kits and by various European manufacturers were laid out to educate the audience.
Director Operations of Progas apprised the minister how LPG has been successfully used as a fuel, both in the automobile sector and elsewhere.
Progas was the only company to have an autogas display at the conference. The display aroused considerable interest in the public, the participants and the media. Progas officials were present to educate them about the display. It was the first effort by the LPG industry to present autogas as an alternate and clean fuel.
Journalists from local media visit Progas Pakistan Ltd facility at Port Qasim
25 February 2008, Port Qasim, Karachi
Progas Pakistan Limited invited selected reporters from major newspapers and television channels, located at Karachi; for a familiarization visit to the Progas LPG Terminal and tank farm facility at Port Qasim. The reporters represented the petroleum and energy correspondents from CNBC Pakistan, Business Recorder, The News, Geo News, Dawn News, The Daily Times and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Initially the guests were given a presentation on the overall energy scenario in Pakistan and the future plans of the company. General Manager Finance gave a detailed account of the present energy picture and projected energy growth patterns for the future. The presentation was followed by an informal discussion with the CEO, which was carried over to lunch.
The guests were taken by barge for a cruise of the PQ channel around the Progas facility. Manager Terminal Operations took time to explain the operations of the terminal, from the time a gas carrier comes alongside, to the entire unloading of the LPG and its transfer to the storage tanks. He emphasized the strong Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) standards Progas maintains to ensure the safety of both man and material during all operations. He was proud to announce the passing of the first year of the company's operations without any incident.
On return to the LPG Storage Farm, the guests witnessed a mock emergency situation with one of the storage tanks. As soon as the alarm was sounded, automatic sprinklers showered the spherical tank, completely covering it with water. This action is taken in case of an emergency and water is sprinkled to douse the tanks and lower the pressure inside them.
Later at the LPG Bottling Plant, the guests saw a normal operation of the automatic gas filling plant.
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