Government is reportedly mulling over operationalizing Pakistan Steel Mill’s (PSM) oxygen plant to address the increased demand amid prevailing COVID-19 wave which has witnessed a significant surge in recent weeks.
As per the sources, NCOC on PM Imran Khan’s directives, has approved preliminary review of the PSM oxygen plant by National Engineers Welfare Association.
A three-member team comprising of PSM CEO Shuja Hassan, Engineering Development Board’s K.B. Ali and Saad Alam – operations head of the oxygen plant, has been formed by the Federal Industry and Production Division for the operationalization of the plant.
Meanwhile, a technical team visited the site and met with with PSM CEO Shuja Hassan on Tuesday (today) to mull over the issue.
According to PSM CEO, Pakistan Army will also assist in the restoration and operationalization of the oxygen plant.
Experts say that once operationalized, PSM’s oxygen plant has the capacity to produce 5,200 cubic meter gas per hour or 50,000 oxygen cylinders on a daily basis.
The plant has been not in use since 2015.
It is pertinent to know that patients suffering from COVID-19 coronavirus suffer from breathing issues, and they need to be put on supplementary oxygen supply to assist their lungs which are usually severely affected by the novel virus.
The current spike in COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has led to an exponential increase in oxygen demand in the country. Oxygen is a key ‘ingredient’ in Basic oxygen process (BOP), a steel-making method in which pure oxygen is blown into a bath of molten blast-furnace iron and scrap. The oxygen initiates a series of intensively exothermic (heat-releasing) reactions, including the oxidation of such impurities as carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and manganese.
Hence, PSM’s oxygen plant has the capacity to become a key asset in Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19 coronavirus.
Earlier, DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar on Monday, had revealed that more 75% of the total oxygen production in Pakistan is being directed towards the health sector, whereas the rest is being used by industries. The oxygen being supplied to industries will also be diverted towards health sector as per the requirement, he added.
