OGDCL announces major oil and gas discovery at Baragzai X-01 well in Kohat, KP

ISLAMABAD:State-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has made its third oil discovery in a single month, adding a cumulative 9,480 barrels per day—about 14.5 percent of Pakistan’s domestic crude oil production—in a major boost to national energy supplies.

OGDCL announced on Tuesday that its latest discovery was made at the Baragzai X-01 (Slant) exploratory well in the Nashpa Exploration License area of Kohat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the company is the operator.

The well tested positive in the Samana Suk and Shinawari formations during a cased-hole drill stem test, flowing 3,100 barrels of oil per day along with 8.15 million cubic feet of gas per day at a wellhead flowing pressure of 3,010 psi, the company said.

With this latest success, OGDCL has recorded three discoveries within one month at the Nashpa Block, collectively adding 9,480 barrels per day, a significant contribution to Pakistan’s indigenous crude oil production.

The Baragzai X-01 (Slant) well was spudded on December 30, 2024 and drilled to a total depth of 5,170 metres to evaluate multiple formations. Earlier tests in the Kingriali and Datta formations had also resulted in oil and gas discoveries, highlighting the block’s strong hydrocarbon potential.

OGDCL said the new discovery would help reduce reliance on imported energy, strengthen the country’s hydrocarbon reserves, and contribute to narrowing the energy supply–demand gap.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating exploration activities and responsibly developing domestic energy resources to support national energy security and economic growth.