ENERGY

Occidental Gets Stake in Pakistan Gas Field: Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum Corp. says it has acquired an 81% working interest in the 1.8-million-acre Kohlu exploration area in Pakistan’s Central Indus natural gas basin. Pakistan’s Monument Resources Ltd. holds the remaining 19% interest. The block is adjacent to the 1.1-million-acre Zamurdan area, which Occidental was awarded in December. During the next three years, Occidental will conduct seismic testing and drill one exploratory well on the Kohlu block and three on the Zamurdan block. The company said that the Central Indus basin is Pakistan’s major source of natural gas. More than 15 trillion cubic feet of gas have been discovered by other companies, including the 8.6-trillion-cubic-foot Sui field.