Survey of Three Afghan–Tajik Oil Blocks Begins in Balkh
Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of the Islamic Emirate say that the survey of three blocks of the Afghan–Tajik oil basin has commenced in Balkh province, in cooperation with a private Uzbek company.
According to the officials, under the signed memorandum of understanding, the company will not only conduct field surveys but also carry out geophysical activities, transfer technical expertise, share data, and create employment opportunities for local residents.
Abdul Khalil Hanafi, Head of Hydrocarbon Surveys at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said: “The Ahmadabad block covers approximately 1,855 square kilometers, the Mohammad Jan block 3,608 square kilometers, and the Shamar block 2,154 square kilometers, bringing the total area of the three blocks to 7,617 square kilometers.”
Khitbay Amanov, representative of the Uzbek company, said: “I believe that the revenues generated from this cooperation in the exploration sector will play an effective role in Afghanistan’s economic growth, improving living standards, creating new job opportunities, and strengthening the country’s educational, industrial, commercial, and export capacities.”
Meanwhile, officials of the Islamic Emirate emphasized the effective management of oil resources and the strengthening of relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan across various economic sectors.
Humayun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said: “The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum is working to manage, survey, develop, and extract Afghanistan’s hydrocarbon resources and oil and gas reserves so that we can become self-sufficient in the oil and gas sector.”
Noorulhadi Abu Idris, Deputy Governor of Balkh, said: “Afghanistan maintains good and positive relations with all neighboring countries and has further strengthened its ties with Uzbekistan.”
It is worth noting that the Afghan–Tajik oil basin consists of 11 blocks in total, and their extraction could play a significant role in achieving self-sufficiency in the oil sector and promoting the country’s economic development.
