MARI discovers gas reserves in North Waziristan

KARACHI: Mari Petroleum Company Limited, one of the country's largest natural gas producers, said on Thursday it had discovered gas reserves at a well in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“We are pleased to inform that Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MARI) has made a gas discovery at Shewa-2 appraisal-cum-exploratory well (in Waziristan block), located in North Waziristan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province,” the company said in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

MARI said it holds a 55 percent working interest along with joint venture partners Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Orient Petroleum International Inc in Shewa-2 well of Waziristan block. The OGDCL and OPI having 35 percent and 10 percent working interest, respectively.

MARI said the well was drilled to a depth of 4,577 meters on November 01, 2023, to appraise the Lockhart and Hangu formations, which were previously discovered at exploratory well Shewa1, as well as test the hydrocarbon potential of the well’s exploratory targets i.e. Samanasuk and Kawagarh formations. “During the Drill Stem Test (DST) carried out in the Kawagarh formation (exploratory target), gas flowed at a sustainable rate of 0.607 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) at wellhead flowing pressure (WHFP) of 97 pounds per square inch (Psi) at 32/64-inch choke size.”

The company said the discovery in Kawagarh formation was in addition to the previously discovered hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in Lockhart and Hangu formations at Shewa-1 well. “The appraisal of the Lockhart and Hangu Formations has confirmed the extension of hydrocarbon play in these formations. The Hungu formation was tested at a gas flow rate of 0.274 MMSCFD at WHFP of 77 Psi at 32/64-inch choke size," it added.

“Further, the Lockhart formation in Shewa-2 well was tested (post-acid) at a gas flow rate of 51 MMSCFD and 391 barrels of condensate per day at WHFP of 5,972 Psi at 38/64-inch choke size.”

The company is an integrated oil and gas exploration and production company with a 70 percent exploration success rate, which is much higher than the industry averages of around 33 percent national and 14 percent international.