PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) has completed the bidding process for the exploration and production of the Miran Block, which comprises North Waziristan and Kurram districts.

This was disclosed during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The company has sold out 49 per cent stake in the block, while retaining the remaining 51pc with it.

A consortium comprising Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Government Holdings Private Limited (GHPL) won the bid.

CM hails development, says it will contribute to region’s uplift

The project is expected to bring direct investment of Rs22 billion to the province. Furthermore, 100pc cost of the exploration phase will be borne by the relevant consortium.

Special assistant to CM for energy Tariq Sadozai, secretary energy Nisar Khan, KPOGCL chief executive officer and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

Mr Gandapur commended the KPOGCL’s management for successfully completing the bidding process of the Miran Block, saying that the milestone would play a significant role in the region’s development.

The meeting was informed that KP played a significant role in the country’s oil and gas production. “The province produces 30,000 barrels of oil per day, which constitutes 42pc of the country’s total production. Similarly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces 410 mmcfd of gas, which accounts for 13pc of the national output. The province also produces 800 tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) daily, representing 40pc of the national production,” the meeting was told.

The meeting was told that KPOGCL was also investing in multiple other oil and gas blocks. Four new high-impact recent discoveries have increased the province’s daily gas production by 180 mmcfd and oil production by 5,550 barrels. Similarly, from 2013 to 2024, the company’s equity injection amounted to Rs4 billion.

The meeting was informed that for exploration of new blocks, Rs3 billion had been allocated in the budget of current fiscal year.

The chief minister also directed the quarters concerned to expedite work on the ongoing hydropower projects in the province and conduct surveys for the construction of small hydropower plants in the merged districts. He also directed the early initiation of the project regarding solarisation of mosques and households in the province.

Separately, Mr Gandapur in another meeting directed the authorities concerned to expedite computerisation of land record.

He also directed to ensure the provision of necessary resources for the completion of service delivery centres (SDCs). He emphasised that completed SDCs should be made operational without delay.

The meeting was informed that out of the 3,562 mauzas included in the first two phases of the project, computerisation of 3,296 mauzas had been completed.

Abbottabad, Mardan, Buner, Kohat, Tank, Shangla and Hangu districts are leading with 100% computerisation. In Peshawar, the computerisation process is 98% complete. Overall, the progress on land record computerisation in the province stands at 83%, while land settlement is in process in the merged districts, Upper and Lower Dir.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024