KOHAT: The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has begun work on its third gas separation plant after latest discovery in the Sayyab area, which is about 20 kilometres southeast of Kohat on the Rawalpindi Road.

OGDCL’s regional coordinator for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jand Mushfiq Paracha told Dawn by telephone that they had discovered 800 barrels of crude oil and 20 mcft of gas in Dhok Hussain area of Sayyab and were planning to drill another well called Sayyab-1 in next three to four months. He said the plant was being set up to separate gas, crude oil and other substances from water.

He said with the Sayyab discovery the total volume of crude oil in the Thall block had surged to 69,000 barrels and 100 mcft of gas. He said earlier two plants of OGDCL were operating in Shakardarra and Nashpa.

According to reports, the OGDCL in partnership with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Development Company (KPOGDCL) plans to achieve a target of 200,000 barrels of crude oil and 2,000 mcft of gas by 2025.

Mr Paracha said they had only explored 20 per cent area of the Thall block and if they got a chance to go into the former tribal areas and other parts the target of 2025 was achievable much before the deadline, which would increase the royalty of the province and profit of the KPOGDCL.

Meanwhile, district councillor Dr Matiullah, who plans to bring a resolution in the district council on misuse of oil and gas royalty funds, told Dawn that the chief minister had approved Rs150 million royalty for Kohat, Hangu and Karak for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, of which, 10 per cent share was of Kohat.

The district had received billions of rupees earlier as royalty but unfortunately no mega project had been launched, he regretted and claimed that since discovery of gas in 2003, 95 per cent of the area was still without gas facility.

FREE EYE CAMP: The OGDCL organised on Wednesday a free eye camp in Shakardarra with the help of Al Shifa Hospital, Kohat to treat the people affected from emissions caused by oil and gas exploration.

The camp was inaugurated by assistant commissioner, Lachi, Samiur Rehman.

The in-charge of the three-day camp said on the first day 1,000 patients were checked and 50 operations were conducted.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2018