Small flow, big signal: PPL unlocks difficult gas layer in Sindh

Pakistan Petroleum Limited said it has made a discovery at its LAL X-1 exploratory well in Kashmore, Sindh, marking the company’s first successful extraction of hydrocarbons from a challenging geological layer.

The state-owned energy producer said the well flowed gas at an initial rate of 0.138 million standard cubic feet per day, a modest volume that analysts nonetheless described as a significant technical milestone. The discovery confirms gas is recoverable from the Lower Alabaster Formation, a tight limestone and shale sequence previously considered difficult to exploit in the region.

Unlike conventional reservoirs, where gas flows easily through porous rock, the LAL X-1 well targeted tight formations that typically require advanced techniques such as hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. The well was drilled to a depth of 1,408 meters after spudding on June 30, 2025, and produced a steady flow with a wellhead pressure of 33 pounds per square inch gauge on a 64/64-inch choke, the company said.

Industry analysts said the find, along with PPL’s recent Sawan North Deep-1 discovery in Khairpur, could signal a broader push toward domestic gas production to ease import dependence.

“If the Lower Alabaster Formation proves commercially viable, it could pave the way for a cluster of new wells supplying local fuel to the national grid,” an industry source said.

PPL holds a 100% working interest in the Kandhkot lease, meaning any revenue would accrue entirely to the company. Still, PPL cautioned that commercial production is not imminent.

“The commerciality will be ascertained based on post-well analysis and the results of future exploration wells for the Lower Alabaster Play,” the company said.

Next steps include estimating reserves and determining whether the cost of advanced extraction methods can be justified by recoverable volumes. If successful, Kashmore could emerge as a new center for unconventional gas development in Pakistan.