Gas reserves: Vessels arrive for offshore drilling in Pakistan

Govt exempts from duty ships, machinery for deep-sea drilling

ISLAMABAD: The government has exempted from customs duty the import of oil drilling ships, vessels and other machinery in an effort to encourage offshore drilling for the search of hydrocarbon reserves in the country.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Petroleum Division announced that tax exemption had been granted to all exploration companies and joint-venture partnerships under a production-sharing agreement.

“Eni and ExxonMobil will launch offshore drilling in the current month,” it revealed. “The division will open its door to foreign investors for collaborating in oil and gas exploration activities in Pakistan.”

Officials disclosed that vessels and helicopters had already reached Pakistan to swiftly kick off offshore drilling in deep sea. The project will be undertaken 280 kilometres from the coast of Sindh within a specific weather window. Italian firm Eni is the operator of the project along with joint-venture partners, which will drill an ultra-deep well in the offshore Indus-G block called Keira-1 to explore gas reserves.

The officials pointed out that three platform supply vessels, one Fast Support Intervention Vessel and two helicopters had arrived in Pakistan. Apart from these, one drilling ship has also reached, which will remain 35 nautical miles from Karachi Port for drilling operations. The vessels and helicopters have been arranged on a temporary basis for three months to implement the project and all these will remain either in the water or in the air.

Vessels are an important part of offshore drilling and are needed to transport drilling material like diesel and bulk material to the drilling ship as well as for transportation of waste from the drilling ship to the offshore marine base. In case of emergency, these vehicles would also assist in transporting personnel to and from the drilling ship.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2019.

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