Pakistan reports gas, condensate discovery in Sindh amid falling domestic reserves

Pakistan reports gas, condensate discovery in Sindh amid falling domestic reserves
The logo of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) is pictured at the facade of their headquarters in Islamabad on June 20, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 01 October 2025
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Pakistan reports gas, condensate discovery in Sindh amid falling domestic reserves

Pakistan reports gas, condensate discovery in Sindh amid falling domestic reserves
  • OGDCL says Khairpur well yields 22.5 MMSCFD gas, 690 barrels condensate daily
  • The discovery can boost Pakistan’s economy, burdened by costly energy imports

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) announced Wednesday it had discovered gas and condensate in Sindh province, with tests showing potential production of 22.5 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of natural gas and 690 barrels per day (BPD) of condensate.

The discovery comes as Pakistan struggles with a heavy energy import bill, spending more than $15 billion annually on crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Domestic gas production has been in long-term decline, increasing pressure on the country’s foreign reserves and making new finds critical to energy security.

“Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), the operator of Bitrism Exploration License holding 95 percent working interest, in joint venture with Government Holdings (Private) Limited (GHPL) with 5 percent working interest, is pleased to announce the discovery of Gas/Condensate at Bitrism East-1, located in District Khairpur, Sindh Province,” OGDCL said in its stock market disclosure.

It informed the well was spudded on June 30, 2025, and drilled down to a depth of 3,800 meters using OGDCL’s in-house expertise in collaboration with its Joint Venture Partner.

The company said it conducted two drill stem tests (DSTs), a standard procedure in oil and gas exploration.

“In both the DSTs the well produced significant quantities of hydrocarbons with combined production potential of 22.5 MMSCFD gas and 690 barrels of condensate per day (BCD),” it added.

Condensate is like a light form of crude oil that comes out of gas wells, with the OGDCL disclosure report revealing the estimated contribution the well can make to the domestic fuel supply.

OGDCL disclosed the find to both the Pakistan Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, where it has Global Depositary Shares listed, in line with regulatory requirements for listed companies.


Pakistan moves to identify sites for new deep-sea ports under century-long maritime plan

Pakistan moves to identify sites for new deep-sea ports under century-long maritime plan
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Pakistan moves to identify sites for new deep-sea ports under century-long maritime plan

Pakistan moves to identify sites for new deep-sea ports under century-long maritime plan
  • Move forms part of long-term plan to expand Pakistan’s maritime capacity as existing ports approach projected limits
  • New deep-sea facilities aimed at managing rising regional trade, coastal urbanization and future shipping demand

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday formed a high-level committee to identify locations for new deep-sea ports along Pakistan’s 1,024-kilometer coastline as the country prepares for a century of expanding maritime trade.

Pakistan’s existing ports— Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar— are expected to reach full capacity between 2035 and 2045 due to rising industrial output, transit trade from Afghanistan and Central Asia and growing shipping volumes in the wider Indian Ocean. The coastline also faces rapid urbanization, tourism development and competition for seafront land, limiting space for new maritime infrastructure.

Port development is critical for Pakistan’s long-term economic plans. The government projects the economy could reach $1 trillion between 2030 and 2035, while the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone spans 240,000 square kilometers, giving it significant potential in shipping, logistics, fisheries and offshore energy. 

Deep-sea ports are also central to Pakistan’s ambitions under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor and broader blue-economy strategies.

“The next century belongs to the oceans,” Chaudhry said. “Pakistan must plan today for the ports, trade routes, and maritime industries of tomorrow.”

Chaudhry said he would attend the committee’s first meeting next week as part of his “Hundred Years Vision 2047–2147,” which he announced during National Maritime Week in Karachi last week. 

The 12-member body will meet every two weeks and submit a full feasibility report— covering technical surveys, hydrographic maps, satellite imagery and investment recommendations— within three months.

The minister noted that Port Qasim is currently operating at about 65 percent capacity, Karachi Port at 52 percent, and Gwadar between 5 and 10 percent. With regional trade expected to rise sharply, he warned that congestion at all three ports could “pose serious challenges” without new facilities capable of handling larger ships and modern logistics systems.

The newly constituted committee includes representatives from all three port authorities, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the Surveyor General’s office, national hydrographers, and the governments of Sindh and Balochistan.

Its mandate includes assessing environmental and security considerations, evaluating connectivity needs such as road and rail links, reviewing industrial and logistics corridors and recommending layouts and investment models for prospective deep-sea ports, shipyards and coastal energy hubs. 

Coordination with provincial governments will be central to ensuring a unified national approach to maritime development, the minister added.