After years of talk finally we are yielding very positive results in finding indigenous sources of energy, which will hopefully better the lives of the local people as well Pakistan as a whole.
Oil and gas exploration scene in Pakistan heats up
Pakistan’s effort to attract more investment into the gas and oil field to push the annual exploration process in the country to match its future energy demand has yielded better results in the outgoing fiscal though the drilling was still below the fixed target. Pakistan, according to latest official data, has discovered five new gas, gas condensate and one oil and gas filed through exploratory wells in 2002-2003, in addition to hitting successfully 25 gas and eight oil appraisal, developments wells during, up from two oil and gas and four gas and eight oil wells, respectively, in corresponding period. The data of the exploration and drilling available with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources shows that state run – Oil and Gas Development Co. (OGDC) and private sector together drilled 77 exploratory, appraisal and development wells during July 2002 to June 2003 compared to 42 wells in corresponding period last year.
This was, however, short of the government target which had fixed the highest ever-drilling target of 94 wells for full year July-June 2002-2003 (60 wells - July-June 2001-2002) envisaging 20 wells to be drilled by OGDC and 74 by private sector during this period. However, data revealed that OGDC has drilled 14 exploratory wells and three appraisal and development while private sector 18 exploratory and 42 appraisal development still far behind the target. In this respect various local and international issues have affected drilling programme in Pakistan. Out of total success, OGDC hit three gas condensates and one oil and gas discoveries (Norai Jagar-1, Hakeem Daho-1, Chak 7A-1 and Bhulan Shah-1) out of its 14 exploratory wells and oil at Kunnar-6 out of its 3 appraisal development wells.
Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) has discovered gas at Khanpur and Orient Petroleum Inc. (OPI) gas condensate at Naimat Basal-1 out of 18 exploratory wells dug by private sector during 2003. Lasmo and BHP Pakistan have also found gas during drilling of development wells at Bhit-9 and Zamzama-4, Zamzama-5 respectively in Sindh province while BP Pakistan too found oil at Sonro-6, Sonro-5, Sonro-7, Zaur-7 Zaur-9 and Jabo-4, Jabo-5 - all in Sindh. OMV discovered gas at Swan-7, Swan-8, Swan-9 and Miano-7. Mari Gas found gas at Mari-90, Mari-70, Mari-71, Mari-72, Mari-73, Mari-74, Mari-75, Mari-76, Mari-77, Mari-78, Mari-79, Mari-80, Mari-81, Mari-82, Mari-83, Mari-84 and Mari-86 and Petronas at Rehmat-2, out of 42 appraisal and development drilled by the private sector.