Minister for Petroleum confident about a ‘big discovery’ from offshore exploration

January 16, 2019: Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said Pakistan will fully facilitate foreign investment in different sectors including exploration of oil and gas.

He was talking to the Chief Executive Officer of Exxon Mobil Irtaza Sayyed in Islamabad on Wednesday.

He said the government will also give exemption on taxes and duties on import of necessary equipment.

The Minister said offshore drilling has been started in the country with the partnership of Exxon Mobil and ENI companies, and some good news about the exploration of oil and gas at Indus G-block is expected in March or April.

The Minister was confident that it will be a big discovery equivalent to the Sui gas field. He said the reserves are estimated to be three to eight billion cubic feet which will account for twenty five to forty percent of country's total gas reserves.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan said if the project remains successful, Pakistan will use these reserves for the next twenty five to thirty years.

He said Exxon Mobil and ENI companies will dig more wells in Pakistan if this proved to be a successful discovery.

He also invited Exxon Mobil for onshore exploration.