The company’s concession rights in Pakistan were located in two blocks near the River Indus in the northwestern flank of the petroliferous Potwar Basin, in a complex geological area that covered over 2,000 sq km. The company’s initial working interest was 95%, and the work obligation required a seismic program and drilling of one well in partnership with Amoco.
During 1986, 782 km of seismic data were acquired using an SSL vibroseis crew over both blocks. In addition, a geological survey was carried out over Block A in order to integrate surface geology with the geophysics. The exploration work resulted in the identification of several leads. Subsequently, a well was drilled without commercial success in partnership with Amoco.
On expiry of the permit, the blocks were handed back to the Government of Pakistan.
Crescent Petroleum’s Gulf-South Asia Gas Project (GUSA) was the first workable conceptual study for producing, transmitting by pipeline, and delivering natural gas from Qatar to Pakistan and eventually onward to other parts of the Indian subcontinent.
The GUSA Project comprised two main parts, each representing a world-class project on its own: the upstream development to produce the gas at the source, and the pipeline, which was to transport the gas 1,186 km to Pakistan.
Crescent Petroleum was the developer and lead sponsor for this project. The company successfully advanced the GUSA Project to a state of pre-implementation maturity, including completing a detailed route survey for the whole pipeline route from its source in Qatar to its final destination in Pakistan, before the project was eventually aborted due to political constraints.
The upstream part of the GUSA Project included the development of a sector of the North Field of Qatar to produce natural gas for export to Pakistan.
The GUSA upstream development was to produce 1,600 MMscfp/d of pipeline-quality gas for export through the GUSA Pipeline to Pakistan. Additionally, the Upstream Development Project was to produce a substantial amount of condensate and gas liquids, which were to be marketed separately.
Crescent Petroleum expended more than US$30 million on the development scheme of the GUSA Project before it was aborted. The engineering design of the pipeline was completed. The routing of the pipeline was based on a detailed onshore and offshore route survey undertaken and completed by Fugro International for the company.
The GUSA Project carried enormous environmental benefits, regionally and globally, which would have ensued when the natural gas replaced the large quantity of fuel oil that is used in Pakistan at burner tips.