Karachi, May 14, 2025 – Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan’s leading state-owned energy company, announced on Wednesday that it has been provisionally awarded petroleum exploration rights over seven new blocks across various regions of the country.
This marks a significant step in the company’s ongoing efforts to expand its footprint in Pakistan’s energy sector.
In official notifications sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange Plc., OGDCL confirmed its successful participation in the competitive bidding round for exploration blocks, conducted by the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) in April 2025. The bidding round aimed to attract investment and enhance indigenous petroleum exploration to reduce reliance on imported energy.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Energy has communicated the provisional awards to OGDCL and several other prominent companies, including 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). The allocation of these blocks is subject to the formal signing of Petroleum Concession Agreements (PCAs) and exploration licenses.
The seven petroleum exploration blocks provisionally awarded to OGDCL are strategically located in Balochistan, Sindh, and Punjab. Notably, OGDCL will operate the Kalat North block in Balochistan with a 100% stake. In Sindh, it will act as the operator of Naing Sharif with 70% ownership alongside Prime, while also leading the Khiu-II block in Punjab with a 60% share, partnering with Mari.
OGDCL will also participate as a non-operator in several joint ventures, such as Ahmad Wali in Balochistan (40% with Mari as operator), Kalat South (30% share with PPL and Mari), Sukhpur-II (30% with Prime, Mari, and TPOC), and Ziarat North (24.87% share with Mari, PPL, GHPL, and TPOC).
This move aligns with OGDCL’s long-term strategy to strengthen its core business and fast-track petroleum exploration activities. The company aims to increase domestic hydrocarbon production and contribute to national energy security through sustained exploration and development initiatives.