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ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday congratulated the nation on the discovery of major new oil and gas reserves in Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, terming it a major milestone for Pakistan’s domestic energy sector.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the oil and gas sector, the Prime Minister praised the dedicated work of relevant departments and emphasized that prioritizing local exploration would help conserve valuable foreign exchange spent on oil imports.
The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) reported the discovery of new fields in the Nashpa Block, producing 4,100 barrels of oil per day (bpd) along with 10.5 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd).
“The Prime Minister congratulated the nation on this important discovery and thanked the relevant departments for their dedicated work,” said an official handout issued after the meeting.
During the meeting, officials noted that domestic consumers experienced an improvement in gas pressure this winter. Work on RLNG connections has also accelerated, with a target of 350,000 new connections by June 2026.
Gas pipelines for the Sheva and Batani gas fields have been commissioned, while construction of the Kot Palak field gas pipeline continues. The prime minister ordered to digitize the entire supply chain for the import and domestic utilization of oil and gas on a priority basis.
“With the digitalization of the oil and gas supply chain, smuggling of these products will be effectively curbed, which will ultimately benefit the national exchequer,” the prime minister said at the meeting.
Earlier, the OGDCL announced a major oil and gas discovery in Kohat district, describing it as a major addition to Pakistan’s domestic energy resources. In a statement, the company confirmed that it had begun production at the Baragzai X-1 exploratory well on the Nashpa Block.
Drilled to a depth of 5,170 metres, the well revealed a 187-metre hydrocarbon bearing zone within the Datta Formation. A cased-hole drill stem test confirmed its commercial viability, recording production with a 32/64-inch choke and a wellhead flow pressure of 3,880 pounds per square inch gauge.
The Nashpa exploration license is operated by OGDCL with a 65% working interest. Pakistan Petroleum Limited owns 30%, while The Government Holdings Private Limited owns the remaining 5%, according to a company spokesperson. “The discovery will not only strengthen the country’s energy reserves, but also help reduce dependence on imported oil and gas, improving the national balance between supply and demand.”
The announcement follows a previous discovery at the Baragzai X-01 (Slant) exploration well, announced in December 2025, which produced 2,280 bpd of oil and 5.6 mmcfd of gas, marking the first hydrocarbon discovery from the Kingriali Formation.
That well, drilled to the same depth of 5,170 meters, was considered a milestone in de-risking deeper exploration and paving the way for additional discoveries in the region.
OGDCL is also expanding its shale gas program, moving from a single test well to a five- to six-well plan by 2026-27, with expected production of 3 to 4 million standard cubic feet per day per well. If successful, officials indicated the program could reach hundreds, or even more than 1,000 wells nationwide.
On the other hand, Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on economic reforms, investment promotion and development projects. Highlighting the broader economic context, he stressed the importance of implementing government policies on economic governance without delay and called for practical proposals and a comprehensive strategy with minimal implementation time.
Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed that coordination between ministries and collaboration between the federal and provincial governments were crucial to achieving effective reforms and sustainable economic growth.
The ministries were directed to prepare recommendations to facilitate both domestic and foreign investment, promote exports and ensure timely implementation of development projects. The prime minister also directed Pakistani embassies across the world to provide initial guidance and relevant information to foreign investors.
Shehbaz further emphasized that all key sectors, including industry and agriculture, should be given equal attention to attract investments. Ministry representatives briefed him on the progress of ongoing projects and updates on economic, institutional and administrative reforms.
The meetings were attended by Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik and Ahad Khan Cheema, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, Chief Secretaries of all provinces, National Coordinator of SIFC and other senior officials.
(WITH INPUT FROM THE APP)
