OGDC Announces Major Oil and Gas Discovery in KP’s Nashpa Block

Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) on Tuesday announced a major oil and gas discovery at its exploratory well Baragzai X-01 (Slant) in the Nashpa Block of Kohat district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, reinforcing the region’s growing role in Pakistan’s energy landscape.

In a statement, OGDC said the well was drilled to a depth of 5,170 metres and successfully tested the Samana Suk and Shinawari formations. The well is currently producing around 3,100 barrels of oil per day and 8.15 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. Flow testing was carried out through a 32/64-inch choke at a wellhead pressure of 3,010 pounds per square inch gauge, confirming the commercial potential of the discovery.

The latest find marks OGDC’s third discovery in the Nashpa Block within a month. Combined output from the three discoveries stands at approximately 9,480 barrels of oil per day, contributing about 14.5 percent of Pakistan’s current domestic crude oil production. Officials said the additional output is expected to help ease the energy supply gap and reduce dependence on costly oil imports.

The Baragzai X-01 well was spudded on December 30, 2024, as part of OGDC’s broader exploration programme to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of multiple formations in the Nashpa Block. These include Lockhart, Hangu, Lumshiwal, Samana Suk, Shinawari, Datta and Kingriali formations. Earlier assessments have already resulted in discoveries from the Kingriali and Datta zones.

OGDC operates the Nashpa Exploration License with a 65 percent working interest, while Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Government Holdings Private Limited are joint venture partners. The company said the recent discoveries are expected to strengthen Pakistan’s national energy security.

The continued exploration success in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa comes as OGDC steps up efforts to develop Pakistan’s tight and shale gas resources, which remain largely untapped. The company plans to accelerate shale gas exploration during 2026–27, starting with a five- to six-well programme that could later expand to several hundred, or even more than 1,000, wells nationwide.