ISLAMABAD (APP) - Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Resources Thursday executed four (04) Exploration licenses (ELs)/Petroleum Concession Agreements (PCAs) for Blocks No. 3170-6 (Dera Ismail Khan) 2468-12 (Kotri), 2568-21 (Kotri North) and 2468- 10 (Sirani) with Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). Simultaneous with the execution of ELs for these blocks, the PCAs were also executed. The total area of these blocks is 8729.25 Sq. Km and minimum firm work commitment is US $ 24.2 Million. Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar said the government was providing liberal incentives to the E&P Companies to attract investment and to accelerate the exploration of hydrocarbon in the country, with an objective to increase the domestic oil & gas production and reduce the burden of imported energy. He called for making all possible efforts for addressing immediate energy needs of the public. ELs/PCAs were signed by Kamran Lashari, Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources, Muhammad Naeem Malik, Director General Petroleum Concessions and Khalid Rehman, Managing Director, PPL. Kotri Block is located mainly in District Thatta. Kotri North block is mainly located in District Dadu. Sirani block is located mainly in District Badin. These blocks are in Sindh Province. Dera Ismail Khan block is mainly located in District Layyah, Punjab Province and District D.I Khan Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa Province, former NWFP.