Mari invests $250m in Waziristan block, explores 7 gas discoveries

ISLAMABAD: MariEnergies — one of the main exploration and production companies in Pakistan — has invested $250 million in the Waziristan Block and managed seven gas discoveries, including two tight discoveries. This success will help save $300 million per annum in foreign exchange, a senior official of the company told The News.

The company has now successfully drilled another exploratory well Spinwam-1, which has resulted in four discoveries from four different formations. Only one discovery has been put into production while the addition of remaining discoveries into production will substantially decrease Pakistan’s dependence on imported fuel.

“The Waziristan Block was awarded to Tullow in 2005; however, no work was carried out till 2017 when the operatorship was transferred to MariEnergies in 2017. Till today, the company has consistently pushed forward despite challenging security conditions and geographical hurdles. The company acquired seismic data at a cost of $34 million from 2017 to 2020 period.”

The first exploratory well was drilled in June 2021, reaching a depth of 4,915 meters and confirming hydrocarbons in the Hangu and Lockhart formations.

More importantly, the significance of the discovery includes a controlled gas flow of 50 MMSCFD from the Lockhart formation. This area is prone to massive activities of militants posing threats to the exploration and production activities.

To this effect, eight MPCL employees and five FC soldiers got martyred while safeguarding the field from the attacks of the militants. Despite security challenges, MariEnergies managed a huge gas discovery known as the Shewa discovery which was the first of its kind in North Waziristan, with the successful drilling of Shewa-2, confirming the potential of the Shewa.

The gas supply from the Shewa discovery on March 23, 2025, has been started with a ramp-up to 70 MMscfd of gas and 700 bbl/day of condensate. The expected revenue generation of Rs6 billion will be for the provincial government through royalties and excise duties.\