ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has moved a step closer to unlocking its vast unconventional gas resources as Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) successfully completed the first phase of the country’s maiden shale gas pilot project, with the initiative targeting future production of an estimated 800 to 900 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) upon successful commercial development.
The progress was reviewed during a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, where an OGDCL delegation led by Managing Director and CEO Ahmed Hayat Lak briefed the minister on the status of Pakistan’s first shale gas pilot project.
According to the briefing, Pakistan possesses significant shale gas potential, and the pilot project is aimed at exploiting this indigenous resource in a sustainable manner. OGDCL informed the minister that the first phase of the project, involving vertical drilling, has been completed successfully, confirming both the presence of shale formations and the feasibility of their exploitation.
The second phase of the pilot project, designed to determine commercial viability through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has been planned by a team of OGDCL experts with support from external sector specialists. Rig deployment is scheduled for September 2026, while hydraulic fracturing operations are planned for December 2026.
The pilot wells will be drilled in Hyderabad and Sanghar districts of Sindh.
OGDCL informed the minister that, if the pilot project proves commercially successful, Pakistan will move into the development phase, during which around 60 to 70 shale gas wells are expected to be drilled annually. The development programme is projected to achieve production of approximately 800 to 900 MMscfd, potentially opening a new chapter in Pakistan’s domestic energy sector.
The minister appreciated the efforts of OGDCL’s technical professionals and observed that the successful commercial development of shale gas could significantly strengthen Pakistan’s energy security by increasing reliance on indigenous resources while reducing dependence on imported fuels.
He said the project has the potential to open an entirely new segment of Pakistan’s energy landscape and directed OGDCL management to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for the development of the country’s tight gas resources.
The shale gas pilot project is being viewed as one of Pakistan’s most significant unconventional energy initiatives, with its outcome expected to shape future investment and development strategies in the upstream petroleum sector.
