Pakistan’s PPL says Türkiye partnership opens ‘new chapter’ in offshore oil and gas exploration
ISLAMABAD: The chief executive of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) said on Thursday a new exploration partnership with Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC) could accelerate Pakistan’s search for offshore oil and gas, describing the venture as a potential turning point for long-stalled development of the sector.
The agreement, signed in Islamabad this week, includes three offshore and two onshore concessions, the most prominent being Eastern Offshore Indus Block C, where TPOC, the overseas arm of Türkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), will operate with a 25 percent stake. PPL holds 35 percent, while state-owned Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Mari Energies each retain 20 percent.
The block carries a minimum work commitment of $3.45 million, and is being positioned as Pakistan’s first serious offshore drilling attempt under the Pakistan–Türkiye energy collaboration.
Speaking to Arab News, PPL Managing Director Sikandar Ali Memon said TPAO brings scale, deep-sea rigs and technical capacity that local firms lack.
