ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s major oil refineries this week jointly urged the country’s energy regulator to step in and limit fuel imports, warning that excessive reliance on overseas supplies is undermining domestic refining operations and threatening the stability of the national oil supply chain.
In a letter sent to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the chief executives of Attock Refinery Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited, National Refinery Limited, Pak-Arab Refinery Limited and Cnergyico PK said current regulatory decisions were allowing imported petroleum products to displace locally refined fuel, despite rules requiring domestic output to be prioritized.
OGRA is Pakistan’s federal regulator responsible for overseeing oil and gas markets, including licensing, pricing frameworks and supply planning. The dispute comes as Pakistan, which imports most of its crude oil and refined fuel, seeks to balance energy security concerns with cost pressures and foreign exchange constraints.
“As clearly stipulated in Rule 35(g) of the Pakistan Oil (Refining, Blending, Transportation, Storage, and Marketing) Rules, 2016, the upliftment of locally produced refinery products must be prioritized before any imports are considered,” the refineries wrote in a letter dated Dec. 10. “Unfortunately, the excessive imports allowed by OGRA have worsened the situation on ground.”
