Mari Gas makes major oil discovery in Mianwali

The Mari Gas Company Limited (MGCL) has made a significant discovery of crude oil with additional potential of associated gas reserves at the Halini well, located tehsil Essa Kheil, district Mianwali in its operated Karak exploration block. Minister of Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain has congratulated MGCL Managing Director Raza Muhammad Khan, on the significant discovery of crude oil in the Karak block, who informed the minister about the discovery on Thursday.
The block is located at the boundaries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces between the districts of Karak and Mianwali. The discovery is estimated to accrue huge foreign exchange savings which could range in billion of dollars at the current oil price trend and thus contribute towards the nation’s endeavor to reduce dependence on imported energy. The Halini well was spud on January 07, 2011. The well has been drilled up to a depth of 5,350 meters. During the initial short duration tests carried out, the well flowed at the average rate of 1,700 barrels per day crude oil of API gravity 26 at 32/64” choke size. The flow rates from the well are expected to increase with further testing and stimulation treatment which is planned to be conducted, shortly.
The prospect is estimated to spread over a large area and the company is planning to drill additional wells to delineate the exact extent, size and reserves potential of this oil discovery. The Karak block was granted to MGCL, as operator and 100 per cent interest owner, on April 14, 2005. Subsequently MOL of Hungary acquired 40 per cent interest share in the block from the company.
MGCL has also made a gas condensate discovery last year in its 100 per cent operated Sujawal block in Sindh which is being put on test production by installing early production facilities. MGCL also discovered the first ever oil in Balochistan when it’s Ziarat well flowed crude oil which is currently being evaluated for bringing it on production. Other recent discovery of gas by MGCL in its Sukkur block’s Koonj well has also been put on test production for gas supply to SNGPL. It was also decided that 44 MMCFD gas from Mari Deep Reservoir would be provided to SNGPL.