ISLAMABAD: Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), the country’s leading exploration and production company, has been provisionally awarded seven new exploration blocks through a competitive bidding round held by the Government of Pakistan in April 2025.
The Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) has communicated the provisional award of new exploration blocks to OGDCL and its joint venture partners, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL), Mari Energies Limited (Mari), Government Holdings (Private) Limited (GHPL), Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC), and Prime Global Energies Limited (Prime). These blocks have been awarded based on the work units committed by OGDCL and its joint venture partners, subject to formal execution of Exploration Licenses and Petroleum Concession Agreements (PCAs).
OGDCL has secured 100 percent working interest and operatorship in the Kalat North Block located in Balochistan. The company will also operate the Naing Sharif Block in Sindh with a 70 percent working interest, partnered by Prime with a 30 percent share. In Punjab, OGDCL will act as operator of the Khiu-II Block, holding 60 percent working interest, while Mari holds the remaining 40 percent.
OGDCL has also secured a 40 percent working interest in the Ahmad Wal Block in Balochistan, where Mari will serve as the operator with a 60 percent working interest. In the Kalat South Block, also in Balochistan, OGDCL secured a 30 percent share, with PPL acting as the operator with 40 percent interest and Mari holding 30 percent.
In Sindh’s Sukhpur-II Block, OGDCL has a 30 percent stake, alongside Prime (25pc, operator), Mari (30pc), and TPOC (15pc). In the Ziarat North block in Balochistan, OGDCL secured a 24.87 percent working interest, with Mari acting as operator with 33.16 percent, and PPL, GHPL, and TPOC holding 24.87 percent, 7.10 percent, and 10 percent respectively.
These awards mark a significant step forward in OGDCL’s strategy and business plan to strengthen its core exploration portfolio and accelerate efforts to augment the country’s hydrocarbon reserves.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
