Pakistan reopens offshore exploration blocks

Our Correspondent May 21, 2026 Less than a minute read

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali Pervaiz Malik speaks during an interview with Reuters, during the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025, in Islamabad, Pakistan April 8, 2025. Photo: Reuters

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik on Wednesday witnessed the signing ceremony of Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) and Exploration Licences (ELs) for offshore exploration blocks awarded under the Offshore Bid Round 2025, marking the formal reopening of Pakistan's offshore frontier after nearly two decades.

The awarded blocks are located in the Indus and Makran offshore basins adjoining the territorial waters of Sindh and Balochistan. The Offshore Bid Round 2025 attracted bids covering approximately 54,600 square kilometres of Pakistan's offshore area, resulting in the award of 23 offshore blocks, said a news release.