Pakistan’s state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) plans to commence large-scale drilling operations in Sindh after confirming substantial shale gas reserves in the province, the company’s top official said.
OGDCL Managing Director Ahmed Hayat Lak said significant deposits had been identified in Hyderabad and Sanghar districts, adding that a pilot project aimed at assessing the commercial viability of the resource had yielded positive results.
According to Lak, preliminary estimates indicate that Sindh holds approximately 7.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of shale gas. He said the reserves were confirmed following the successful drilling of a vertical well.
“The installation of a rig for horizontal drilling has been completed, and once this phase is concluded in the coming months, drilling activities will begin at another site,” Lak said in an interview. He added that extensive drilling across the region would commence after the successful development of both wells.
He said the use of advanced technologies was expected to significantly boost OGDCL’s output and could help the company achieve record production levels.
Lak further said OGDCL’s reserve replacement ratio had remained at 160%, a metric he said reflected the company’s ability to replenish and expand its hydrocarbon resources over time.
The planned expansion comes as Pakistan seeks to strengthen domestic energy production and reduce its dependence on imported fuels amid persistent energy sector challenges.