ISLAMABAD: The Petroleum Division has forwarded around 17 onshore oil and gas exploration blocks to the quarters concerned for getting security clearance and subsequently initiating the activities to discover hydrocarbon reserves in all four provinces of the country. The new exploration areas consisted of Block-2668-23 (Khewari East), spanning over 1451.23 Square Kilometer (Sq. Km) area in Sindh, Block-2966-2 (Chah Bali), 2488.95 Sq. Km area in Balochistan, Block-2967-5 (Mach) 2496.31 Sq. Km in Balochistan, Block-2970-9 (Jampur), 2465.76 Sq. Km area in Punjab, Block-3068-9 (Nareli), 2414.95 Sq. Km area in Balochistan, Block-2467-17 (Sujawal South), 1914.1 Sq. Km area in Sindh, Block-2871-7 (Khangarh West), 2487.11 Sq. Km in Punjab, Block-2367-8 (Jhor Wah), 2308.06 Sq. Km in Sindh, Block-2767-2 (Gaj), 1473.82 Sq Km in Sindh and Balochistan, Block-2869-15 (Meeranpur), 2474.64 Sq Km in Balochistan and Punjab, Block-2967-6 (Sibi), 1911.63 Sq Km in Balochistan, Block-2867-6 (Dadhar), 2494.98 Sq Km in Balochistan, Block3269-3 (Wana), 1748.3 Sq. Km area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Block-3269-4 (Razmak), 2381.94 Sq Km in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Block 3269-5 (Miran Shah), 1427.07 Sq Km in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Block-2767-3 (Hiden), 857 Sq. Km in Sindh and Block 3273-6 (Garmala), 2379.27 Sq. Km in Punjab. “There are currently 38 active Exploration Licenses awarded to both local and foreign national oil companies which are undertaking exploration studies and projects in their allocated areas,” according to an official data available with APP. Exploration and Production (E&P) companies, operating in Pakistan, have so far drilled 18 offshore oil and gas wells including Kekra-I to discover hydrocarbon deposits in the deep sea waters but could not get the required results. A senior official privy to petroleum sector developments told APP that the country was in dire need of a big discovery as existing hydrocarbon reserves were depleting fast and its reliance on imported gas and oil was increasing with each passing day. Quoting a recent study, he feared that the existing deposits would further deplete 60 percent by the year 2027 and underlined the need for stepping up exploration activities in potential areas on war-footing. In a bid to accelerate oil and gas exploration activities in potential areas of the country, the official said the government was in process of floating an international tender for award of new exploration blocks. “The tenders will be given in international dailies soon, for which the required formalities are being fulfilled.”