The Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, witnessed the final signing of the agreements under the Offshore Bid Round 2025. The mega project covers a staggering 54,600 square kilometers of Pakistan’s waters, located in the Indus and Makran offshore basins near the coasts of Sindh and Balochistan. While two major deep water blocks (Offshore Deep-C and Deep-F) were already assigned to Mari Energies, Turkish Petroleum (TPOC) and Fatima Petroleum, the signing of the remaining 21 blocks officially completes the entire contractual portfolio.
Pakistan’s offshore territory spans a wide 282,623 square kilometers. Yet, since its independence, only 18 exploratory wells have ever been drilled. By comparison, other countries with similar coastlines drill hundreds of wells to secure their energy independence. For twenty years, Pakistan's deep sea potential lay entirely dormant until now. This is being hailed as a defining milestone to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on expensive imported fuel and to invite domestic and international dollars into the country.
The exploration process is divided into two distinct phases. Phase I (The Initial 3 Years), companies are immediately investing $82 million to conduct extensive geological and geophysical studies. They will map the ocean floor and process seismic data to pinpoint exactly where the oil and gas reserves are located. Phase II (The Drilling Phase), if Phase I yields encouraging results, the total investment is projected to skyrocket to $1 billion as companies begin drilling exploratory wells deep into the ocean bed. If commercial oil or gas is discovered, follow on investments will be worth hundreds of millions more for full scale production.
Local energy giants are leading the charge, but the door is swinging open for global partners. Mari Energies Limited is taking the biggest share, stepping up as the most active player. They will operate 18 blocks and act as a joint venture partner in 5 others. OGDCL & PPL have secured 8 blocks each. Prime Global Energies will operate 1 block. Companies like Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC) and United Energy Pakistan (UEP) are also key players. Furthermore, the Petroleum Division has revealed that leading international oil companies are already looking at Pakistan’s offshore data for future investments.
If large reserves of gas or oil are found, Pakistan can cut its huge energy import bill, which could stabilize the rupee and ease inflation. Deep sea drilling requires specialized skills, leading to employment opportunities and technology transfers to local engineers. The companies involved have legally committed to employing workers from the local community.
Pakistan has officially opened a chapter in its energy history. While deep sea exploration is a high risk, high reward scenario, the return to the offshore hunt after 20 years is exactly the kind of economic strategy the country needs.
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد ان لا اله الا انت استغفرك وأتوب اليك