Govt awards licences to 3 companies for oil, gas exploration

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi onTuesday, informed the Senate that the government had granted licences to three companies for oil and gas exploration in Kotal, Karak Shuamli and Paharpur.
Responding to a question in the House, he said M/s OMV, Tallahasee and Kirthar Pakistan BV were given licenses under the Petroleum Exploration and Production Policy, 2012.
To another question, the minister said the Sanghar district was ranked fifth in terms of production of natural gas in the country.
The government, he said, had not imposed any ban on the provision of new gas connection in Sanghar. The federal cabinet on April 12 had lifted moratorium on extension of gas to new towns and villages across the country, he added.
He said the companies provided gas connections subject to availability of network and required funds to undertake network expansion. The lead time for new domestic gas connection was 45 days on the network of Sui Southern Gas Company. To another query, Khaqan Abbasi said the government and gas utility companies were taking several steps to control Unaccounted for Gas (UFG), including promulgation of The
Gas (theft Control & Recovery) Act, 2016, segmentation of distribution network, installation of meters, EVC and modems on all town border stations on distribution network, leak survey and rectification etc.