Senate Committee discusses oil & gas drilling, third-party sales & local development efforts

ISLAMABAD, Nov 01 (SABAH): The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum presided over by Senator Umer Farooq, convened on Friday at Parliament House.

The meeting was attended by Senator Saadia Abbasi, Senator Manzoor Ahmed, Senator Mir Dostain Khan Domki, the Secretary of the Petroleum Division, and other senior officials from relevant departments. The Committee received a briefing on the total drilling activities for exploration and production carried out by oil and gas companies over the past three years.

The Committee Chairman inquired about the outcome of the wells that had not been drilled for six months. The Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum Division Momin Agha emphasized that while the initial 2D and 3D surveys may have been completed, the process of maintaining a technical team and assessing potential opportunities is inherently time-consuming and requires careful consideration.

Chairman Senator Umer Farooq further suggested that accurate details on each oil and gas company and their accomplishments be presented at the next meeting.

The recommendations of the Petroleum Division regarding third-party sales in the Badin-IV South Block were also discussed during the meeting. Members noted that numerous items have caused damage at the national level in Pakistan, having been sold through third parties. The officials stated that, based on the recommendations from the second inquiry, a request has been made to suspend activities in the Badin-IV South Block. The Committee Chairman, acknowledging the viewpoints of the members, suggested that the hearing date must be communicated and that the matter be discussed in detail at the next meeting.

Additionally, the development of the village of Ghurzandi in Tehsil Lachi, District, by MOL Company through CSR funds was discussed. The Chairman stressed the importance of utilizing these funds effectively, as the issue has been ongoing for a long time. He also noted that the completion of the road previously mentioned to him was stated to be 2 kilometers, but in reality, it was only 1 kilometer. The Additional Secretary of the Petroleum Division updated that political alignment or consensus is needed for the process to move forward.

The Committee Chairman and members recommended that, given the suffering of the local population, any notable authority in the area should be appointed to expedite the resolution of this issue.