ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited has announced a major gas discovery in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that promises to deliver 26.5 million standard cubic feet of gas per day once developed.

This latest success at the Bilitang-1-ST-1 exploratory well marks one of the most promising finds of 2026 and comes at a critical time for Pakistan’s energy landscape.

According to the official OGDCL statement the well located in the Thal Block was spudded on August 10 2025 and drilled to a total depth of 4004 metres true vertical depth after sidetracking for optimal reservoir quality.

Testing in the Lumshiwal Formation flowed gas at a rate of 26.5 MMscfd on a 32/64-inch choke with wellhead flowing pressure recorded at 4214 psi.

The discovery has de-risked further exploration across the TAL Block opening new upside opportunities for additional reserves in the region.

OGDCL currently contributes 27 percent of Pakistan’s total natural gas production with its output standing at 626 million cubic feet per day as of the first half of fiscal year 2025-26.

The new Kohat find alone represents more than four percent of the company’s existing daily gas production providing an immediate and substantial addition to domestic supplies.

Pakistan’s overall gas output hovers around 2319 MMscfd while demand frequently exceeds supply leading to periodic shortages in industry power generation and domestic sectors.

This discovery arrives amid ongoing global tensions that have disrupted LNG imports from Qatar and the UAE forcing Pakistan to navigate volatile spot market prices that recently doubled to around 23 dollars per million British thermal units.

Domestic finds such as this directly reduce reliance on expensive imported LNG which has created surplus liabilities estimated at 5.6 billion dollars for deferred cargoes through 2032.

Local media reports including those from Business Recorder and The Nation have hailed the Kohat development as a timely boost describing it as a significant step toward energy self-reliance.

The Thal Block operated by OGDCL with 95 percent working interest and Government Holdings Private Limited holding the remaining five percent has now emerged as a high-potential area following multiple recent successes in nearby Kohat blocks.

Earlier in 2026 OGDCL reported oil and gas discoveries in the Nashpa Block including flows of 4100 barrels of oil per day and 10.5 MMscfd from the Datta Formation underscoring momentum in the province.

Industry analysts note that consistent discoveries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have helped stabilise national hydrocarbon reserves which OGDCL alone holds at 496 million barrels of oil equivalent on a proved basis.

The new gas volume once connected to the national transmission network could support additional power generation for thousands of households and industries currently facing load-shedding pressures.

Economically the project is expected to generate substantial revenue through royalties and taxes while creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in drilling services logistics and local community development around Kohat.

OGDCL has set an ambitious target to lift its gas production to 865 MMscfd in coming years with this discovery forming a key building block toward that goal alongside planned 14 percent growth in oil output to 40000 barrels per day.

Exploration experts highlight that the appraisal success in Lumshiwal Formation not only confirms reservoir quality but also signals broader potential across under-explored structures in the TAL Block.

Pakistan’s energy ministry has welcomed such indigenous finds as vital for reducing the circular debt burden that has plagued the gas sector for years.

With solar and hydropower capacity expanding rapidly this gas addition provides essential baseload support for evening peak demand when renewable output dips.

The development also aligns with national efforts to prioritise onshore exploration in proven basins thereby minimising import exposure amid geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East.

Further appraisal and development wells are planned to fully delineate the reservoir size and optimise production rates in the coming months.

This Kohat discovery reinforces OGDCL’s position as the country’s leading exploration and production company contributing nearly 50 percent of national oil and 32 percent of LPG alongside its dominant gas role.

Stakeholders across the sector view the find as a beacon of hope for long-term energy security at a time when Pakistan continues to balance domestic growth with global supply chain challenges.