New blocks for petroleum exploration soon: Jadoon
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon has said that the government intends to accelerate the oil and gas exploration activities in onshore and offshore areas and would invite biddings for new blocks being opened in the next January.
He was talking to Austrian OMV Petroleum Company delegation led by Senior Vice President Wolfgang Ramp, which called on him here on Wednesday and discussed investment potential in the oil and gas.
The meeting was attended by the secretary petroleum Ahmed Waqar, Additional Secretary Shaukat Hayat Durrani, DG (Petroleum Concession) Muhammad Naeem Malik and OMV General Manager in Pakistan Jeorge Wachtel.
Welcoming the delegation, the minister said that there existed a lot of potential for the prospective investors in Pakistan’s oil and gas projects and the government was providing them lucrative incentives in onshore and offshore exploration in an investor-friendly environment.
He appreciated OMV’s contribution for promoting the oil and gas activities in Pakistan and invited the company to make more investment in the country for the mutual advantage. He fully endorsed the OMV joint ventures proposal with Pakistan’s oil and gas companies in international biddings to benefit from each other’s experience.
The leader of the delegation briefed the minister about OMV worldwide activities in the oil and gas including in Pakistani areas of district Khairpur, Sindh from where it has been producing 550 million cubic feet gas daily and invested about US $ 450 million so far.
He expressed OMV’s interest to participate in the oil and gas development activities in Pakistan and with joint venture in international biddings with Pakistani companies.