Chandigarh, October 26
Oil and natural gas companies from the world over may soon be vying with each other for rights to explore deep deposits of natural gas and oil in Gurdaspur.

The Director-General of Hydrocarbons, sources reveal, will soon be launching the next round of its national exploration policy declaring Gurdaspur as the “potential area”.

After the seventh round of the policy is announced, the Union ministry of petroleum will set the process of bidding in motion. On all previous six occasions, the sites chosen for exploration have yielded positive results.

Punjab, which has remained unexplored for its possible deposits of oil and natural gas, has been in consideration of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission as well as the Directorate of Hydrocarbons.

According to data available with the Directorate of Hydrocarbons, chances of oil and natural gas reservoirs in the border belt are very high as similar exploration in the adjoining territory in Pakistan have given “extremely good results”.

Keeping in view the contiguity and similar terrain, the oil companies are optimistic of Gurdaspur becoming their next destination. Oil and natural gas in Gurdaspur will open a gold mine for Punjab.

The only hitch, admit Hydrocarbon officials, is the clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs before the next step of inviting global bidding for exploration can be initiated.

“Since Gurdaspur is a border district, it would be prudent for the Union Ministry of Petroleum to get the MHA clearance,” they add.

Interestingly, a couple of years ago, then Finance Minister of Punjab Surinder Singla had pleaded before the Director-General of Hydrocarbons, Dr V.K. Sibal, to include Bathinda in the next round of national exploration policy.

“Data on Bathinda is being gathered and tabulated. Chances of this Malwa district being included in the next round of the exploration policy cannot be ruled out,” adds Singla, indicating that initial data from Bathinda have shown positive indications.

Decks have already been cleared for starting work soon on the much-delayed and publicised Bathinda refinery. The Union and Punjab Governments have successfully roped in steel giant L.N. Mittal for the project.