KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday announced the discovery of oil and gas in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, saying the find could help reduce the country’s energy supply gap by adding to domestic production.

The discovery was made in the Datta Formation at an exploratory well drilled by the state-run Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in Kohat district. The Datta Formation is a rock layer known to hold oil and gas in parts of northern Pakistan and has been a key focus of exploration activity.

Pakistan faces a widening energy gap due to rising demand and limited domestic output, forcing it to rely heavily on costly fuel imports that leave the economy exposed to global price swings.

“During case-hole Drill Stem Test (DST-02) in Datta Formation (Jurassic age), the well flowed at the rate of 4,100 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) and 10.5 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas,” OGDCL Company Secretary Wasim Ahmad said in a letter to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

A drill stem test is carried out to assess how much oil and gas a well can produce after drilling, helping companies evaluate whether a discovery is commercially viable.

OGDCL said the well was drilled to a depth of 5,170 meters and encountered oil- and gas-bearing zones at multiple levels. Earlier testing in a deeper geological layer had also resulted in a discovery, strengthening the overall prospects of the well.

“This oil and gas discovery will contribute toward mitigating the energy supply-demand gap through indigenous resources and will add to the hydrocarbon reserves base of OGDCL, its joint partners and the country,” the letter added.

Pakistan has reported several oil and gas finds in recent months as it steps up efforts to boost domestic output.

In September, Pakistan Petroleum Limited announced a discovery in Attock district of Punjab, while Mari Energies reported a new gas find in North Waziristan earlier this year.