KARACHI: Pakistan’s Mari Energies said on Thursday it has discovered gas and condensate at an exploratory well in the southern Sindh province, a find that could support the country’s efforts to shore up domestic energy supplies amid persistent shortages.
The discovery was made at the Shams-1 well in the Mari Development and Production Lease (D&PL) area in Ghotki district, the company said in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
Pakistan relies heavily on natural gas for power generation, industry and household use, but declining reserves and rising demand have led to frequent supply gaps and increased reliance on costly imports.
“The well flowed at a rate of 47.98 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas, along with 64 barrels per day of condensate,” Mari Energies said, adding that the flow was recorded during testing at a choke size of 64/64 inches, with a wellhead flowing pressure of 2,404 pounds per square inch, indicating strong reservoir pressure.
The Shams-1 well was spudded on Jan. 30 and drilled to a total depth of 3,075 meters, targeting hydrocarbon-bearing sand formations in the Lower Goru reservoir, one of Pakistan’s key gas-producing geological zones.
Mari Energies, one of Pakistan’s largest exploration and production companies, operates the Mari D&PL block with a 100 percent working interest. The company is a major supplier of natural gas to the country’s fertilizer sector and also serves industrial and power generation customers.
The discovery adds to a series of recent exploration efforts aimed at slowing Pakistan’s declining gas output, as the government pushes to reduce reliance on liquefied natural gas imports and contain energy costs.
