KARACHI: Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has announced a discovery ofhydrocarbon reserves, with potential deposits of one trillion cubic feet,in Margand block in Kalat Plateau of Balochistan.

“The discovery of hydrocarbon reserves at Margand X-1 well is a historicmilestone,” PPL said in a statement.

It is the first find of hydrocarbon reserves in a westernmost area ofPakistan, which will set future course of the oil and gas exploration inthe country.

PPL, operates the block with 100% working interest, has announced that thehydrocarbon discovery could have more reserves than the assessment madeearlier.

The extent of hydrocarbon reserves could be confirmed after digging ofappraisal wells, the company said.

Margand X-1 reached a depth of 4,500 metres inside Chiltan limestone. Onthe basis of wireline logs, Modular Dynamics Testing (MDT) was carried out,which proved the presence of hydrocarbon.

Drill Stem Test (DST) of the well showed a flow of 10.7 million cubic feetof gas per day.

“Initial estimates based on the structure of the Margand block reveal thatthis block has one trillion cubic feet of reserves,” an official earliersaid, adding that drilling of more wells would support the estimate.