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ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP):The Ministry of Energy on Friday announced the results of the Offshore Bid Round 2025, held after an 18-year gap, marking a major step toward achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of energy security and local resource development.
The bidding process, launched in January this year, offered 40 offshore blocks for petroleum exploration. Bids were received for 23 blocks covering 53,510 square kilometers, reflecting strong investor confidence in Pakistan’s upstream sector, said a news release issued by the Petroleum Division, Ministry of Energy.
Before initiating the process, the Ministry developed a Model Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA), a key document integrated into the bid package, to ensure transparency, competitiveness, and investor confidence.
In parallel, the Offshore Petroleum Rules were promulgated to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework, paving the way for renewed offshore exploration in Pakistan’s waters.
A recent basin study conducted by the U.S. firm DeGolyer and MacNaughton (D&M) has indicated a significant yet-to-be-found potential of hydrocarbons in Pakistan’s offshore basins.
Building on this encouraging assessment, the Offshore Bid Round 2025 was launched with a view to offering blocks that allow companies to undertake systematic exploration efforts to test various geological plays across both the Indus and Makran basins.
Today, 31st October 2025, the bids were publicly opened transparently by the Bid Opening Committee, chaired by the Director General Petroleum Concessions (DGPC), in the presence of representatives from the provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan, the two coastal provinces hosting the offshore areas.
The response to the bid round has been encouraging, reflecting strong investor confidence in Pakistan’s upstream sector. Bids were received for twenty-three (23) offshore blocks, covering a total area of approximately 53,510 square kilometers.
Among the successful bidders are Pakistan’s leading national companies, OGDCL, PPL, MariEnergies and Prime Energy.
In addition, other important international and private-sector partners, like Turkish Petroleum, United Energy, Orient Petroleum, and Fatima Petroleum, have joined as joint venture partners, underscoring growing international interest in Pakistan’s offshore potential.
A total of 4,427 work units have been committed during Phase-I of the initial three-year license period, representing an investment of approximately 80 million USD.
The companies have submitted work programs designed to progressively mitigate the geological risks, and in the event of exploration drilling, investments could reach up to USD 750 million to USD 1 billion.
During Phase-I, the companies will undertake comprehensive geophysical and geological (G&G) studies, including seismic data acquisition, processing, and interpretation, to better define the hydrocarbon potential of Pakistan’s offshore basins. Upon completion of these studies, the Phase-II work program will be finalized which will include drilling of exploratory wells in the prospective areas.
The Pakistan’s strategy to initiate exploration in both the Indus and Makran basins simultaneously has proven to be successful, as reflected in the participation and outcome of the bid round.
After the completion of G&G work and drilling planning, the Ministry will invite global oil majors to join the next phase of offshore exploration, several of whom are already in contact with the Government and local companies and are currently evaluating the available data.
It is also noteworthy that recently as a major intervention, TPAO, national Company of Türkiye, has taken over 25% stake in offshore block-C alongwith operatorship.