Huge deposits of oil and gas discovered in Kohat district

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtun-khwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) with a joint venture with National Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) have made a huge discovery of oil and gas in Kohat district of KP.

In Kohat, Baratai Well has become a success with the discovery of massive Oil & Gas reserves. The well was tested 30 MMCFD of gas and 700 barrel of crude oil.

With the vision to discover natural resources of KP, CEO KPOGCL Raziuddin (Razi) took initiative for drilling projects and signed agreement with OGDCL in Baratai Block. Seismic data was acquired, processed and interpreted by the mutual working of KPOGCL & OGDCL technical teams.

After several technical meetings, workshops and seismic reinterpretation, drilling was commenced on 24th May, 2017. The Well was drilled to a depth of 5014 meters in a record time of 199 days. During drilling operations several complications were encountered but KPOGCL and OGDCL solved all the problems as a one team by conducting regular meetings and technical workshops.

Razi said that Baratai discovery is a landmark achievement. KPOGCL is the first Provincial Holding Oil & Gas Company to start its production. The discovery will generate over a billion rupees per annum revenues for government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the form of royalty. He said that KPOGCL has achieved this all because of the utmost support of KP government particularly Chief Minister, Energy Minister, Chief Secretary & Energy Secretary.

The high standards and impossible to achieve vision 2025 set by the government of KP for Oil & Gas Sector i.e. 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 2,000 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas, is now looking achievable even before 2025.

The Baratai Well-2 is planned to be drilled within the next three months which upon success will further bring the government closer to its 2025 targets. KPOGCL is also in JV with Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) and OGDCL in Paharpur, Pezu & Kulachi blocks. Drilling will start in these blocks in the next six months.