Govt asks OGDCL, PPL, ISGS to spare experts for DGPC

ISLAMABAD: In a questionable move, the Petroleum Division has asked OGDCL (Oil and Gas Development Company Limited), PPL (Pakistan Petroleum Limited) and Inter-State Gas System (ISGS) — the public sector companies to provide their officials and experts on attachment basis to strengthen the human resource of DG PC (directorate general petroleum concessions), discloses the letter written by Petroleum Division to the said companies on October 11, 2024.

“The working of some officials of OGDCL and PPL — the public sector exploration and production companies in DGPC would be no less than a classic example of the conflict of interests, as DGPC deals in making the E&P policies and their implementation including the bidding of blocs for oil and gas exploration and production activities. And more importantly, the said companies’ capacity for exploration and production activities would also be compromised when it would give its good staff to DGPC,” a senior official of Ministry of Energy told The News.

The Petroleum Division, he opined, needs to recruit or hire experts from the open market, but the Petroleum Division has directed the E&P companies to provide their some officials and experts to DGPC.

In 2020, the Petroleum Division repatriated 6 officials working in the policy wing on the attachment basis to the E&P companies, Sui gas companies and ISGS with immediate effect from June 10, 2020 with the way forward that the vacant posts would be filled before their reparations. “Now five years have elapsed, the Petroleum Division instead of hiring the required staff from the open market is now seeking the experts from the E&P companies again. The official said that E&P companies are quite upset as they don’t want to provide their high quality experts arguing it would compromise their capacity for exploration and production activities.

As per the copy of the letter written by Assistant Director (E&T) to the Managing Directors of OGDCL, PPL and ISGS, the DGPC has been facing the acute shortage of professional human resource to handle enormous workload of urgent and critical nature. In this regard, it is pertinent to mention that Petroleum Division is in the process of strengthening the human resource of DGPC. So, according to the letter, the Petroleum Division has desired that 6 officials may be deputed immediately at least for one year or till the time suitable replacements are arranged.

The letter written on October 11, 2024 also discloses the names of the experts that the Petroleum Division wants from the OGDCL, PPL and ISGS. As per the letter, the Petroleum Division asked ISGS to spare a financial analyst. The PD also asked PPL to put a senior geologist at the disposal of GDPC, besides asking the OGDCL to spare its three senior geologists and one deputy chief for DGPC. Surprisingly, right now 25 officials from PSO, PARCO, gas companies — Sui Norther, Sui Southern, OGDCL, PLL are still working in DGPC of the Petroleum Division.

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Secretary Petroleum opted to keep mum as they didn’t respond to the question of this scribe during the whole day. The question was; “Sir, the Petroleum Division asked ISGS, PPL and OGDCL to provide its officers and experts to the ministry to increase its capacity for policy making to handle the issues Petroleum Ministry is faced with? Sir, don’t u think it is the conflict of interests as the companies like OGDCL and PPL that are directly affected positively or negatively as a result of policy making about exploration and production. Sir, in the past, PD had got hold of the officials of the state-owned E&P Companies and Sui companies on the pretext of strengthening its capacity who were repatriated to the parent organizations in 2020 with the resolve that PD would hire the required staff. Now it is again repeating the same episode. What rationale PD has for seeking officials from ISGS, PPL and OGDCL this time again?. Sir, instead of hiring the required staff from the open market, why does PD prefer to compromise the capacity of the state-owned companies by seeking experts from the said firms?