Govt grants Six petroleum exploration plants

On Friday, The government awarded six petroleum exploration blocks in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab to state-run oil and gas exploration and development companies. 

The exploration licences (ELs) and petroleum concession agreements (PCAs) were signed by Petroleum Secretary Mian Asad Hayaud Din and Director General of Petroleum Concessions Abdul Jabbar Memon on behalf of the government and Managing Director of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) Shahid Saleem Khan, Managing Director of Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) Faheem Haider and Managing Director of Pakistan Petroleum Limited Moin Raza Khan at a ceremony witnessed by newly appointed Minister for Energy Mohammad Hammad Azhar. 

The director general of Petroleum Concession, Petroleum Division, signed PCAs and ELs over Block No. 3068-6 (Killa Saifullah) and Block No. 3067-7 (Sharan) in Balochistan with OGDCL and MPCL; Block No. 3069-9 (Suleiman-Balochistan) with OGDCL and PPL; and Block No. 2467-17 (Sujawal South) in Sindh, Block No. 3273-5 (Jhelum) and Block No. 3272-16 (Lilla) with OGDCL. 

The Petroleum Conces­sion director general reported that the minimum firm work commitment for these blocks was $24.68 million for a period of three years. The companies are obligated to spend a minimum of $30,000 per year in each block on social welfare schemes. The annual social welfare obligation in respect of these six blocks is $180,000.