ISLAMABAD: In a landmark breakthrough for Pakistan’s upstream energy sector, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) has announced the start of oil production from Pasakhi-13, the country’s first successful horizontal well drilled in a clastic reservoir, marking a major leap in local drilling capability and resource optimisation.
The well, located in Hyderabad, is currently producing around 460 barrels of oil per day (bpd). It was drilled to a measured depth of 2,966 meters, including a 546-meter horizontal section targeting the Lower Goru - Sand A formation, a challenging but potentially high-yield reservoir.
OGDC said the success was made possible through the use of advanced geo-steering technology, which allowed engineers to precisely navigate the drill bit within a narrow three-meter window inside the reservoir’s most productive zone, often referred to as the sweet spot. This level of accuracy is critical in horizontal drilling, where even slight deviations can significantly affect output.
Unlike conventional vertical wells, horizontal wells extend laterally through the reservoir, increasing contact with hydrocarbon-bearing rock. According to OGDC, this approach has delivered nearly three times higher production compared to nearby offset wells drilled under similar geological conditions.
The well has been completed using a short-string Electric Submersible Pump (ESP), specially configured for horizontal operations. Despite complex reservoir dynamics, the system has enabled stable production and efficient lifting of crude to the surface. Pasakhi-13 is part of the Pasakhi & Pasakhi North Development and Production Lease (D&PL), in which OGDC holds a 100 per cent working interest.
Industry observers view the development as a turning point for the oil and gas sector, which has long grappled with declining reserves and increasing dependence on imported fuels.
The achievement is expected to open new avenues for enhanced recovery in mature fields and improve the commercial viability of previously marginal reserves.
