The Senate was informed on Friday that the government was making all out efforts to explore and exploit shale gas resources in the country to overcome energy crisis.
Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the House during question hour that according to a US study there are reserves of 95 trillion cubic feet of shale gas and 14 billion barrels of shale oil in the lower and middle Indus Basin.
He pointed out that the exploration expenditures were being worked out. He said: “We have the technology to explore shale gas and the domestic companies have been given the task.”
To a question, the minister said the government had passed on maximum benefit of declining oil prices in the international market to the masses. Replying to another question, the minister said a project for laying gas pipeline from Abbottabad to Mansehra had been approved and hopefully the work would start next month. He said Rs 188 billion had been collected as gas infrastructure development cess from January 1, 2012, to February 15, 2016.
He said the GIDC would be utilised by the federal government in connection with infrastructure development of Iran-Pakistan pipeline project, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline project, LNG and other ancillary projects.
