Kompromat
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ISLAMABAD: In a major development the US has
agreed to extend the technical help for the
exploration of shale gas reserves in Pakistan
and to this effect a US company is all set to
initiate a study for an exact assessment of oil
and gas reserves – particularly the shale gas – available in Pakistan, an official told The News. The study is to take nine months to be
completed, reveals one of the senior officials –
who were part of the high level delegation that
recently visited the US and held dialogues on
energy in Washington and Houston between
November 12 and 16. The delegation – headed by the Minister for
Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan
Abbasi – comprised of secretaries and heads of
public sector entities. Later, the petroleum ministry signed an
agreement with the US consultant Advanced
Engineering Associates International, Inc (AEAI)
that would embark on the strategic study to
assess the actual reserves of shale gas in Pakistan
and then with the help of the US experts four methods would be formulated to exploit the
shale gas reserves. The Director General Petroleum Concession Saeed
Ullah Shah said the study will be completed in
nine months. To a question, he said that the
USAID would finance the study. The EIA (Energy Information Administration) — US
federal authority on energy statistics and analysis
– in June last said that Pakistan was estimated to
have fresh recoverable shale gas reserves of 105
trillion cubic feet (TCF) and more than nine billion
barrels of oil. The official said Pakistan has conventional gas
reserves of just 23 TCF and conventional oil
reserves of 286 million barrel per day. “We have
set the date to AEAI for the exact identification
and authentication of shale gas reserves,” he said. “Shale gas had seen tremendous developments
in the United States and a couple of other
countries were trying to use the latest energy
source. Pakistan was also encouraging
exploration and production companies to venture
into the field,” said the official. Secretary petroleum and natural resources Abid Saeed said
that US officials showed willingness to help
Pakistan in coping with energy crisis and extend
the technical expertise and training to Pakistan’s
officials in shale gas exploitation. USAID has
already helped Pakistan in formulating the shale gas policy. He said US will start exporting its shale gas in the
shape of LNG by 2016, but “we need liquefied
natural gas immediately”. “We also met with the top officials of many US
companies, particularly Exxon Mobil Corporation
and ConocoPhillips – which were willing to supply
LNG to Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention these
are the same companies – which have an
exclusive right to export LNG from Qatar,” he said, adding, “Once the LNG terminal is installed,
Pakistan will hopefully receive the LNG from
ConocoPhillips in Qatar.” Saeed said the Sui Northern, during the dialogue,
sought the US help in reducing the unaccounted
for gas (UFG) and it was decided that US would
extend the technology and technical knowhow to
this effect. The advanced metering infrastructure will be
installed to curtail the UFG volume and also help
in providing details about gas pressure at the
point where meters will be installed. The Sui Southern has curtailed the UFG one
percent to 9.9 from 10.9 percent, translating into
Rs1.2 billion saving. The UFG in Sui Northern
stands at over 11 percent – where one percent
line loss means the loss of Rs2 billion. “The World
Bank is already assisting Sui Southern to help curtail the UFG.” In addition, the government will also seek the
technical knowledge from US in the ongoing
rehabilitation of the gas infrastructure – costing
about $20 million – being carried out in the wake
of the gas leakage survey in the Sui southern
system. “We will also seek the US expertise in discovery of
the huge resources of shale gas, tide gas and coal
bed methane in Pakistan,” the official said and
added that US companies were 40 years ahead of
any developing country’s companies in terms of
service delivery and expertise in discovery of minerals.
Tt
agreed to extend the technical help for the
exploration of shale gas reserves in Pakistan
and to this effect a US company is all set to
initiate a study for an exact assessment of oil
and gas reserves – particularly the shale gas – available in Pakistan, an official told The News. The study is to take nine months to be
completed, reveals one of the senior officials –
who were part of the high level delegation that
recently visited the US and held dialogues on
energy in Washington and Houston between
November 12 and 16. The delegation – headed by the Minister for
Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan
Abbasi – comprised of secretaries and heads of
public sector entities. Later, the petroleum ministry signed an
agreement with the US consultant Advanced
Engineering Associates International, Inc (AEAI)
that would embark on the strategic study to
assess the actual reserves of shale gas in Pakistan
and then with the help of the US experts four methods would be formulated to exploit the
shale gas reserves. The Director General Petroleum Concession Saeed
Ullah Shah said the study will be completed in
nine months. To a question, he said that the
USAID would finance the study. The EIA (Energy Information Administration) — US
federal authority on energy statistics and analysis
– in June last said that Pakistan was estimated to
have fresh recoverable shale gas reserves of 105
trillion cubic feet (TCF) and more than nine billion
barrels of oil. The official said Pakistan has conventional gas
reserves of just 23 TCF and conventional oil
reserves of 286 million barrel per day. “We have
set the date to AEAI for the exact identification
and authentication of shale gas reserves,” he said. “Shale gas had seen tremendous developments
in the United States and a couple of other
countries were trying to use the latest energy
source. Pakistan was also encouraging
exploration and production companies to venture
into the field,” said the official. Secretary petroleum and natural resources Abid Saeed said
that US officials showed willingness to help
Pakistan in coping with energy crisis and extend
the technical expertise and training to Pakistan’s
officials in shale gas exploitation. USAID has
already helped Pakistan in formulating the shale gas policy. He said US will start exporting its shale gas in the
shape of LNG by 2016, but “we need liquefied
natural gas immediately”. “We also met with the top officials of many US
companies, particularly Exxon Mobil Corporation
and ConocoPhillips – which were willing to supply
LNG to Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention these
are the same companies – which have an
exclusive right to export LNG from Qatar,” he said, adding, “Once the LNG terminal is installed,
Pakistan will hopefully receive the LNG from
ConocoPhillips in Qatar.” Saeed said the Sui Northern, during the dialogue,
sought the US help in reducing the unaccounted
for gas (UFG) and it was decided that US would
extend the technology and technical knowhow to
this effect. The advanced metering infrastructure will be
installed to curtail the UFG volume and also help
in providing details about gas pressure at the
point where meters will be installed. The Sui Southern has curtailed the UFG one
percent to 9.9 from 10.9 percent, translating into
Rs1.2 billion saving. The UFG in Sui Northern
stands at over 11 percent – where one percent
line loss means the loss of Rs2 billion. “The World
Bank is already assisting Sui Southern to help curtail the UFG.” In addition, the government will also seek the
technical knowledge from US in the ongoing
rehabilitation of the gas infrastructure – costing
about $20 million – being carried out in the wake
of the gas leakage survey in the Sui southern
system. “We will also seek the US expertise in discovery of
the huge resources of shale gas, tide gas and coal
bed methane in Pakistan,” the official said and
added that US companies were 40 years ahead of
any developing country’s companies in terms of
service delivery and expertise in discovery of minerals.
Tt
