A parliamentary committee has been formed to ascertain the possibility of mega theft by three oil exploration and production companies. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday set up a three-member team of parliamentarians headed by Syed Naveed Qamar to investigate the allegations of mega theft and pilferage of oil at 'Tal joint venture'. The team would present its report within two months. Syed Khurshid Shah chaired the PAC meeting.
The MOL had registered a complaint with Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources about the pilferage of oil from its pipeline near 'Tal Block.' MOL is operator of the Tal Block. The working interest of MOL is 8.4 percent whereas government-owned companies' share is 70.52.
Taking a suo motu notice on media reports on pilferage and theft of oil by the companies themselves, the PAC had directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to provide details of crude oil production from Tal Block and its transportation to refineries etc. But, the ministry changed the scope of fact-finding team. It only ascertained the possibility of the mega theft (Rs 20 to 40 billion ie, 2 to 4 million barrels of oil and condensate) by non-operators from the Tal Block pipeline from the discovered pilferage points.
Syed Naveed Qamar showed utter displeasure over the inquiry report and said the ministry was trying to de-track the committee from the real issue. He said, "We directed the ministry to audit the accounts of MOL, PPL and OGDCL to ascertain they are probably involved in steeling or not steeling crude oil from the system without any payment. They (ministry of petroleum) should examine the accounts of the partners in 'Tal joint venture' but they did not follow the directives of PAC".
The committee rejected a fact-finding report of joint investigating team on condensate/ crude oil pilferage at the MOL facility. The investigation team of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources did not carry out investigation according to terms of reference approved by the committee. Showing his disappointment at the inquiry report, chairman committee said, "You wasted one hour of committee and presented an investigation report having pictures of bushes and deserted pipelines, but did not touch the real issue".
Syed Khurshid Shah further directed the committee to find out who approved extension in testing time of oil exploration and production companies on a field for nine years which could not be extendable by more than one year under the 1986 and 2001 Extended Well Test (EWT) agreements with these companies.
Additional Auditor General of Pakistan (AAGP) informed the committee that media reports on oil pilferage were based on audit objections made in audit reports. He said that his department pointed out in various audit reports about leakages of oil and gas during transit whereas various companies got extension under the EWT for nine to seventeen years which is in violation of rules.
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