This was stated by State Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, Naseer Mengal while talking to media men here on Thursday at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources after license execution ceremony to Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL).
To a question about other gas pipeline projects, the minister said, "we are pursuing all the three projects simultaneously but technical feasible pipeline project would be started first."
When asked about slashing supply of gas to textile mills, he said the mills as per agreement with gas company did not require gas during three winter months, therefore, we prefer the domestic consumers, as their demand increases because of cold weather, he added.
Earlier, Ahmad Waqar, Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources, Mohammad Naeem Malik, Director General Petroleum Concessions and S Munsif Raza, Managing Director, Pakistan Petroleum Limited signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.
The ceremony was also attended by Aman Ullah Khan Jadoon, Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources and Muhammad Naseer Mengal, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources.
The government of Pakistan has granted Petroleum Exploration Licence to Pakistan Petroleum Limited of Block No 2969-8 (Barkhan) covering an area of 2,104.69 Sq Kms Barkhan block lies in districts Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Musa Khail Bazai, & Loralai of Balochistan province (Zone-Il).
PPL will make an investment of over $15.63 million in Barkhan block. The company will also carry out geological fieldwork, geological & geophysical studies, 200 km 2D seismic data acquisition and drilling of three exploratory wells during phase-I of the initial period of three years of the exploration licence.