Saudi Delta Energy signs oil and gas agreements with Afghanistan
Saudi energy group Delta Energy signed agreements in Kabul, Afghanistan, with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum on the exploration of oil and gas resources in the west of the country. According to Afghan media reports, the agreements concern the Kushk-Tirpul contract area in the western part of Herat Province, covering approximately 9,000 square miles.
Exploration in Herat
As The Jerusalem Post reports, Delta Energy plans to conduct geological and geophysical studies, seismic exploration, exploratory drilling, and reservoir assessment. The work is intended to determine the scale and commercial viability of hydrocarbon production in the area.
The company will also finance a study into the possibilities of using natural gas in Herat. It will cover supplies for Herat’s industrial park, the city itself, and other agreed areas. The work will assess the use of gas in industry, electricity generation, and other energy needs.
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Gas pipeline project
A separate agreement establishes a framework for studying a proposed 435-mile gas pipeline, which Delta Energy calls CentGas–Corridor of Prosperity. The proposed route is to connect a gas receiving point near the Guzara district in Herat with a delivery point near Spin Boldak in Kandahar.
Delta Energy estimated investment needs for the pipeline project itself at approximately $10 billion over ten years. Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Hedayatullah Badri, called the agreement an important step for developing the country’s hydrocarbon resources. According to him, cooperation with Delta Energy could help strengthen energy security and support economic activity.
Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad attended the signing ceremony. He stated that Afghanistan has significant natural resources and a strategic location that could facilitate connections between Central and South Asia. According to several media outlets cited by the publication, Khalilzad, who currently does not hold an official position in the U.S. government, also met with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Delta Energy representatives.
