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OGDC announces fresh oil, gas discovery in K-P’s Kohat district | The Express Tribune
Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) on Tuesday announced another major oil and gas discovery at its exploratory well Baragzai X-01 (Slant) in the Nashpa Block in Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, underlining the area’s growing importance for Pakistan’s energy security.
The well, drilled to a depth of 5,170 metres, successfully tested the Samana Suk and Shinawari formations and is producing 3,100 barrels of oil per day and 8.15 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, OGDC said in a statement. The well flowed through a 32/64-inch choke at a wellhead pressure of 3,010 pounds per square inch gauge, confirming the commercial viability of the discovery.
The latest find marks OGDC’s third discovery in just one month in the same region. Together, the three discoveries are producing 9,480 barrels of oil per day, accounting for about 14.5% of Pakistan’s current domestic crude oil production. Officials said the output is expected to help narrow the energy supply-demand gap and reduce reliance on expensive oil imports.
Read: OGDC ramps up unconventional gas plans
The Baragzai X-01 well was spudded on December 30, 2024, as part of OGDC’s broader effort to assess the hydrocarbon potential of multiple formations in the Nashpa Block. These include Lockhart, Hangu, Lumshiwal, Samana Suk, Shinawari, Datta and Kingriali, with earlier evaluations already leading to discoveries in the Kingriali and Datta formations.
OGDC operates the Nashpa Exploration License with a 65% working interest, while Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Government Holdings Private Limited are joint venture partners. The company said the discoveries would have positive implications for Pakistan’s national energy security.
The continued success of exploration in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa comes as OGDC seeks to tap Pakistan’s tight and shale gas resources, long seen as an underdeveloped domestic energy source. The company plans to accelerate shale gas exploration in 2026-27, starting with a five- to six-well programme that could eventually expand to hundreds, or even more than 1,000, wells across the country.
Officials said the new discoveries come at a critical time as Pakistan struggles with persistent energy shortages, and increased local production could offer some relief to the country’s energy supply crisis.
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Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p
Motorists are facing higher fuel prices ahead of Easter break due to the conflict in the Middle East, the RAC says.
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E-cheques coming soon? RBI unveils Payments Vision 2028, plans wider oversight of digital players – The Times of India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported.The central bank said it will examine the introduction of e-cheques to combine the advantages of paper instruments with the speed and reliability of digital payments. “To leverage the unique benefits of paper-based instruments and the speed and reliability of electronic payments, and cater to new business use cases, the introduction of electronic cheques in India shall be explored,” the RBI said.Alongside, the RBI is considering widening the regulatory ambit to include entities such as e-commerce marketplaces and centralised platforms that play a growing role in facilitating digital transactions.“In addition, e-commerce marketplaces and centralized platforms have been assuming significant responsibilities that could have implications on the orderly functioning of the payments ecosystem. These aspects shall be examined in detail and, if required, the scope of direct regulations shall be extended to cover such entities,” the document said.The vision document also proposes allowing users to enable or disable transactions across digital payment modes, similar to controls available for card transactions.To address fraud risks, the RBI is exploring a “shared responsibility framework” under which both the issuing bank and the beneficiary bank would share liability in cases of unauthorised digital transactions.The central bank also plans to review cheque design and security features, introduce a Domestic Legal Entity Identifier (DLEI) framework for better transaction traceability, and bring in a Cyber Key Risk Indicators (KRI) framework for non-bank payment system operators.Other initiatives include exploring white-label solutions in the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), developing interoperability in the Trade Receivables e-Discounting System (TReDS), and introducing a ‘Payments Switching Service’ to ease customer migration across platforms.The RBI said it will also review the cross-border payments ecosystem to improve efficiency and streamline authorisation processes, alongside publishing periodic reports on global and domestic payment trends.Additionally, the central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants.
Business
Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India
Hyderabad: Pharma player Hetero on Friday said it has rolled out exports of its generic semaglutide injection portfolio as part of a multi-year plan to widen access to treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity in more than 75 countries.The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company said initial rollouts are under way in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with additional launches planned in other markets subject to regulatory approvals.The injectable therapies will be sold under the brand names Truglyx, Rolmodl and Moto G. Semaglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines, which are used in diabetes care and weight management.Hetero said the export launch is part of its broader strategy to improve access to advanced cardio-metabolic therapies, particularly in emerging markets.The company said the products will be offered in multi-dose disposable pen devices designed in line with innovator formats and will be available in several strengths, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, allowing dosing flexibility for both diabetes and obesity treatment.Hetero said it is also awaiting approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after completing clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity and plans an India launch after regulatory clearance.Hetero managing director Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi said the company aims to provide high-quality, affordable generic semaglutide through a single global product platform backed by its manufacturing and development capabilities.He said Hetero would use its commercial networks across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to support supply and access. The Hyderabad-headquartered Hetero operates in more than 145 countries and employs over 30,000 people.
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