ISLAMABAD – Petroleum Division of the Energy Ministry is finalizingarrangements to initiate a three-round bidding process for award of around35 new oil and gas exploration blocks in December, which would be completedduring next 12 months.
“As many as 10-12 blocks will be put up for the open bidding in each roundthat will be held in next month, upcoming summer season and December 2020,”a senior official privy to petroleum sector developments told APP.
For the purpose, he said road shows had been arranged in Canada andAmerica, besides “Our teams visited Russia. Now, we are planning to visitMiddle Eastern countries in the coming days.”He said Chinese investors were also being attracted to participate in oiland gas exploration activities in Pakistan.
Determined to achieve self-sufficiency in oil and gas sector, the officialsaid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, during its first yearin power, had awarded five new exploration blocks through a transparentbidding process, whereas the previous government did not award even asingle block during its five-year term.
He said the government had made some policy changes to facilitate newcompanies in the E&P sector, abolishing 10 unnecessary steps, out of 24-30,required for getting approval to start drilling activities in potentialareas.
Replying to a question, he said currently the country’s total sedimentaryarea was around 827,268 square kilometers, out of which 320, 741 KM wasunder exploration.
The official said the country had sufficient potential in differentsedimentary pockets, but it needed a more robust strategy to explore it.
To another question, he said oil and gas Exploration and Production (E&P)companies were planning to start work on some exploration blocks, whichfaced delay due to security issues in different areas of Balochistan, tofind new hydrocarbon deposits and meet ever-growing energy needs of thecountry.
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He said Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) on basis ofsatellite images had completed in-house geological mapping of the KohluBlock, covering an area of 2459.1 square-kilometer in districts of Kohlu,Barkhan and Dera Bugti.
While, efforts are underway to perform geological field work and 2D seismicdata acquisition in the block pending since 2004, which will complete ineight to ten months, he added.
The official said Marri Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) had planned tostart seismic surveys in Zarghon and Block-28 at the earliest, from where amajor discovery was expected. “Usually, a survey takes one-year time tocomplete as per international practice.”
He said the Block-28, covering the area of 5,856 sq.km Sibi, Loralai, Kohluand Bolan, was granted in 1991, but remained under Force Majeure conditionsdue to non issuance of security clearance.
Quoting a recent study about fast depletion of existing hydrocarbonreservoirs in the country, he feared that the deposits would furtherdeplete by 60 percent by the year 2027 and underlined the need foraccelerating exploration activities in potential areas on war-footing.
