Mari Petroleum discovers new gas reserves in Sindh

KARACHI: Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) on Monday announced a gas discovery at an exploratory well in Sindh, with a gas flow rate of 5.1 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd), making its first discovery for the new year 2023.

The discovery comes amid Pakistan faces a severe energy crunch as the country’s indigenous gas reserves fail to satisfy the domestic and industry needs, while depleting foreign reserves restrain from obtaining fuel cargoes.

MPCL, an associated company of Fauji Foundation and one of the country’s leading oil and gas exploration entity, found the new reserves in an exploratory well that was spud-in on November 24, 2022.

“We are pleased to inform that Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) has made a gas discovery at its exploratory well Mari Ghazij-1, located in Mari D&PL in Sindh Province,” the company said in an announcement to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

MPCL is the operator of Mari D&PL with 100 percent working interest. The well was drilled down to a depth of 1,015 meters, while the gas flow rate established through a drill stem test was recorded at 5.1 mmscfd, with wellhead flowing pressure (WHFP) of 232 pounds per square inch (Psi) at 64/64 inch choke size, MPCL said. “The company plans to appraise the discovery to prove its extent and, in parallel, evaluate its development options,” the statement added.

In a separate discovery in Sindh back in 2020, MPCL announced gas reserves from an exploratory effort at Iqbal Well 1, drilled in Mari D&P Lease located in Ghotki. Iqbal Well 1 was drilled and tested using MPCL’s in-house expertise, and on July 11, 2020 drilled down to a depth of 1,250 meters into Sui Main Limestone formation. The well was tested at a rate of 3.127 mmscfd gas.

The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) also discovered oil and gas reserves last month from an exploratory well in district Sanghar of Sindh. According to OGDCL, the well was drilled down to 3,400 meters and the drill stem test tested around 2,000 barrels of oil per day and 1.30 mmscfd gas through a choke size of 32/64" at well head flowing pressure of 994 Psi. Last year, MPCL found oil and gas reserves in North Waziristan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at an exploratory well Bannu West-1. As per MPCL, the well was spud-in on June 06, 2021 and drilled down to a depth of 4,915 metres. Drill stem tests carried out in Lockhart Limestone formation flowed gas at a rate of around 25 mmscfd with WHFP of 4339 Psi and around 300 barrels per day condensate at 32/64-inch choke size.