Web Desk: Pakistan Petroleum Limited has discovered gas and encountered condensate at an exploratory well in Sindh’s Sujawal district, marking a potentially significant step toward expanding hydrocarbon exploration in the province.
The discovery at the Dolphin X-1 well confirms the presence of a working petroleum system in the area and could open a new exploration corridor across Sindh’s onshore marshlands and possible shallow offshore extensions, the company said in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Monday.
PPL operates the Sirani Exploration License with a 75% working interest, while Government Holdings (Private) Limited holds the remaining 25%.
PPL drilled Dolphin X-1 to a measured depth of 3,850 metres after spudding the exploratory well on April 17, 2026. The company targeted the hydrocarbon potential of the Chiltan Formation.
Drilling results and open-hole logging identified intervals containing hydrocarbons. Subsequent testing produced encouraging results.
Following acid treatment, the formation flowed gas at approximately 0.942 million standard cubic feet per day. The test recorded a wellhead flowing pressure of 211 pounds per square inch gauge through a 32/64-inch choke.
The gas recorded a heating value of about 1,000 British thermal units per standard cubic foot, according to PPL.
The company also encountered condensate during an earlier test, initially recording a flow of 94 barrels per day. That rate fell to 46 barrels per day within 24 hours.
No condensate appeared during the subsequent post-acid test, PPL said. Nevertheless, the initial flow provides an encouraging indication of hydrocarbon potential within the Chiltan Formation and supports further evaluation of the area.
The discovery could therefore have significance beyond the individual well, particularly if additional exploration confirms the extent and commercial potential of the hydrocarbon-bearing formation.
PPL said the results had effectively opened a new exploration frontier in the marshy onshore region, with potential extensions toward shallow offshore areas.
The find comes as Pakistan continues to rely heavily on domestic and imported hydrocarbons to meet its energy requirements.
Consequently, successful exploration can help strengthen the country’s indigenous resource base, although the ultimate impact of the Dolphin X-1 discovery will depend on further appraisal, development decisions and commercial viability.
PPL remains one of Pakistan’s major exploration and production companies, with operations spanning the search for, development and production of oil and natural gas resources.
The discovery is also expected to provide a financial benefit to PPL, although the immediate contribution remains relatively small.
Arif Habib Limited estimated that the discovery could add around 9 paisas to PPL’s annual earnings per share.
For investors, however, the broader significance could lie in the exploration potential unlocked by the find rather than the initial production volumes alone.
If follow-up exploration establishes additional commercially recoverable reserves, the Dolphin X-1 result could encourage further investment in an area that has so far remained relatively underexplored.
The discovery consequently offers both an immediate indication of gas potential and a longer-term opportunity to expand Pakistan’s domestic exploration frontier.
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