By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 8 -- In a joint venture with Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Italy’s Eni SPA, as operator, won an exploration license for onshore Sukhpur block in the Sindh province north of Karachi, Pakistan, near Eni-operated producing areas of Bhit and Badhra.
During a recent meeting in Rome with Pakistan President Asif Zardari, Eni Chief Executive Paolo Scaroni expressed his company’s commitment to share its expertise and technology in the development of Pakistan's oil and sector under the Protocol of Cooperation signed last March with the Pakistani government.
Reuters news service quoted a Pakistani official as saying Eni is likely to double its investment in Pakistan to $3 billion as early as next year. However, Scaroni said future investments depend on new discoveries.
Eni also is exploring for gas and oil off Pakistan. Longer term, Scaroni said he’s interested in transporting gas from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Iran—where Eni now operates—to markets in Pakistan, India, and China. He said Zardari supports Eni’s ambition to initiate that project.
The Italian company has been in Pakistan since 2000 and was the first international company involved in exploration and production of gas with an equity production of 56,000 boe/d. It holds 15 exploration licenses (3 offshore and 12 onshore), and 7 production or development licenses (3 operated) in that country.
Photo from Parkland Corp.
Photo 113230993 © Paul Brady | Dreamstime.
