KARACHI: Pakistan’s national oil and gas explorer plans to increase its drilling activity by 65 percent this year, officials of the company said this week, targeting 33 exploratory, appraisal and development wells to boost domestic fuel production as the US-Iran war threatens energy shortages in the country.

The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) is Pakistan’s largest oil and gas explorer. According to economic experts, it accounted for 50 percent of Pakistan’s domestic crude oil and over 25 percent of gas production in fiscal year 2026.

The organization seeks to boost local oil and gas production as the US-Iran war, and subsequent closure of global maritime trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, increase energy prices higher worldwide. For Pakistan, which imports most of its fuel needs from the Middle East, higher energy prices and worsening gas shortages threaten the country’s economic recovery.

OGDCL plans to spend an estimated $550 million on its drilling program, 57 percent up from $350 million it spent on at least 20 wells last year, the company’s officials said.

“For FY2026-27, 33 wells have been planned,” OGDCL Executive Director of Exploration Khalid Amin told Arab News on Friday. “These are inclusive of all exploratory, appraisal and development entities of the company.”

He said that in FY26, a shale gas well named Nahiyoon-1 was spudded on Sept. 29, adding that it is currently being drilled. The official said Nahiyoon-1’s testing is expected to start in January 2027.

“Further to this, the specialized study regarding shale/tight gas is in progress and upon completion of the same, the tight gas wells will also be initiated for drilling,” Amin said.

The move comes as Pakistan faces lengthy power outages due to shortage of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) due to the US-Iran war. Local news outlets reported some parts of the country suffering from 18 hours of load shedding due to the shortage.

Karachi power supply company K-Electric warned last week that it may need to undertake power load management as an “extreme, last-resort measure” during evening and night peak hours due to RLNG shortages.

OGDC Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Hayat Lak said the company currently contributes 36,000 barrels of oil per day and 800 million standard cubic feet (MMscf) of gas per day to Pakistan’s energy supply.

This production capacity “will improve,” Lak said, without sharing any data with Arab News.

The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency this week reported that OGDC has set a five-year target to increase crude oil production by 68 percent to 60,384 barrels per day and gas sales by 46 percent to 1,167 MMscf by FY31.

The report said the company aims to strengthen domestic energy supplies through 140 development wells, 200 field interventions, brownfield revitalization, pressure maintenance measures, and major gas compression projects.

“We are working on optimization of our mature fields and capacity enhancement of existing plants,” Lak said.

He said that the company’s compression projects at KPD and Uch fields in Sindh and southwestern Baluchistan provinces are in the “final stages” of completion.

Uch and KPD-TAY are part of OGDC’s five major development and compression projects that are scheduled to complete between November 2026 and March 2028, APP reported.

“These projects are aimed at achieving production enhancement and sustainability of production profile,” the chief executive officer said.

“New discoveries are being monetized through fast-track field development program and new wells marked for drilling as part of business plan,” he added.