KANDHKOT, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday inaugurated a project to enhance the production of gas from Kandhkot gas field as another step forward to overcome the energy shortage of the country.
Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal and Minister of State for Inter Provincial Coordination Dr Darshan and Managing Director PPL Syed Wamiq Bukhari accompanied the prime minister when he unveiled the plaque to mark the inauguration of Kandhkot gas field expansion project.
The objective of the project was to help generate another 450 Megawatt of electricity from Guddu Power Plant to fulfill the power needs during summer season, the prime minister said while addressing the inauguration ceremony.
The prime minister said the project involved drilling and compression besides the installation of a power plant in Guddu but consequent to the efforts of the Pakistan Petroleum Limited’s (PPL) workers, all had been achieved.
Khaqan Abbasi termed the PPL as prime example of public sector company that had been growing besides contributing to the national economy. He viewed that the incumbent government never interfered into the matters of PPL, be it the use of resources or the jobs.
The Kandhkot gas field was discovered in 1959 and started gas production in 1983 due to low gas demand at that time.
Currently, there are 36 development wells in the gas field which has a reservoir of 549 billion cubic feet gas wherein modern technology is being used to extract gas.
The prime minister further told the gathering that record employment had been made in PPL during the current government but the whole process was carried purely on merit.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the project also helped save $250 million to $300 million against imported gas which was the only option to fuel the power plant if the gas supply from Kandhkot gas filed would not have been enhanced. He directed the PPL to enhance the exploration activities in all four provinces as its main mandate.
The prime minister also directed the PPL to carry out welfare projects for local population under its Corporate Social Responsibility besides employing the local people not only on lower ranking jobs but upper ones too after imparting them the required training.
Abbasi said more than 100 gas discoveries had been made during the current government that had also ensured 100 percent reserves replenishment by discovering gas resources equaling the one consumed during the period. He said extension of Sui gas field was also underway that would benefit both the people of Balochistan as well as the PPL.
