By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced the discovery of oil and gas in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a find that could bolster domestic production and help narrow the country’s widening energy shortfall.
The state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd. made the discovery in the Datta Formation at an exploratory well in Kohat district. The Jurassic-age rock layer has been a prime target for exploration in northern Pakistan, where similar deposits have yielded hydrocarbons in the past. “During case-hole Drill Stem Test (DST-02) in Datta Formation (Jurassic age), the well flowed at the rate of 4,100 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) and 10.5 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas,” OGDCL said in a letter to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
The well reached a depth of 5,170 meters and hit oil- and gas-bearing zones at several intervals, according to the letter. An earlier test in a deeper layer also confirmed hydrocarbons, enhancing the site’s potential. “This oil and gas discovery will contribute toward mitigating the energy supply-demand gap through indigenous resources and will add to the hydrocarbon reserves base of OGDCL, its joint partners and the country,” the letter said.
Pakistan’s energy demand has outpaced local supply, compelling the cash-strapped nation to depend on expensive imports that expose its economy to volatile global prices. The government has ramped up exploration to curb foreign-exchange outflows and stabilize supplies. The latest find follows a string of discoveries, including one by Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. in Punjab’s Attock district in September and another by Mari Energies in North Waziristan earlier this year.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the urgency of uncovering new reserves during a high-level meeting on the petroleum sector on Thursday at his office in Islamabad. He directed officials to fast-track the digital integration of the entire oil and gas supply chain, from imports to retail, to combat smuggling and boost revenue.
The meeting was updated on the sector’s roadmap, including OGDCL’s discovery in the Nashpa Block in Kohat. Officials said the reserves could yield up to 4,100 barrels of oil daily. Congratulating the nation on the find, Sharif praised the involved agencies. Attendees were also told that household gas pressure has improved this winter over last year, with work accelerating on regasified liquefied natural gas connections. The target is 350,000 new hookups by June 2026. Pipelines for the Shewa and Bettani gas fields are now operational, while construction on the Kot Palak field line is progressing.
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