New gas field discovered in Sindh

Deposits open up exploration opportunities in the area

KARACHI: A new gas field with a potential to produce up to 50 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) has been discovered in Sindh. Gas has become increasingly scarce in recent years and threatens to hamper economic growth in Pakistan.

Austrian petroleum giant OMV announced the discovery in the Latif South exploration lease earlier this week. The field is jointly owned by OMV, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and ENI Pakistan. The Austrian firm is the operator.

Initial tests showed the first well drilled in the area is producing 15mmcfd of gas. This discovery has opened up new exploration opportunities in the area. Further appraisal work is needed to confirm the size of the discovery.

The PPL had also notified its shareholders about the find last week, but officials now say two or three more wells will be drilled and the output could go up to 50mmcfd.

“Even one mmcfd is significant for us in these times,” said an official at one of the joint-venture partners. “But this discovery is significant because it has come from a previously unexplored area.”

Latif South is located 25km from the Latif gas field, which was discovered in 2007 and produces around 60mmcfd. Finding new fields has become rarer in Pakistan, as exploration companies have already drilled in most of the prospective areas, officials say.

OMV, which has been operating since 1991, also operates the Sawan, Miano, Latif, Tajjal and Mehar gas fields. The company delivers around 300mmcfd of gas. Pakistan’s total gas production hovers around 4,000mmcfd against a demand which has now gone well over 6,000mmcfd.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2015.