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Pakistan Discovers Major Oil and Gas Reserves in Northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Nashpa Block in Kohat expected to produce 4,100 barrels of oil per day; PM directs digitization of petroleum supply chain to curb smuggling and save foreign exchange

By Imran Nasir

Islamabad — Pakistan has made a major breakthrough in its energy sector with the discovery of substantial oil and gas reserves in the Nashpa Block of Kohat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The discovery, announced during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House, is expected to yield around 4,100 barrels of oil per day.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized that exploring new oil and gas reserves must remain a top national priority to reduce reliance on imported petroleum and save valuable foreign exchange.

He also directed that the entire oil and gas supply chain—from import to consumer usage—be digitized on a priority basis, noting that such measures would help prevent smuggling and strengthen the national treasury.

The meeting received a detailed briefing on the roadmap for Pakistan’s petroleum and gas sector. Officials highlighted ongoing progress on RLNG connections, targeting 350,000 new connections by June 2026. Pipelines for the Shiva and Butani gas fields have already been commissioned, while construction continues for the pipeline from Kotpalak Gas Field.

Domestic consumers are already benefiting from improved gas supply this winter, with higher pressure compared to the previous year.

The Prime Minister congratulated the nation on the Nashpa discovery and commended the work of the Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDCL) and other relevant institutions involved in the project.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahsan Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Division Ali Parvez Malik, and other senior government officials.