Pakistan is facing a severe challenge to its energy future as officials confirm that 80 percent of the country’s discovered oil reserves have already been consumed. According to the Auditor General of Pakistan, the country has recorded 1,234 million barrels of discovered oil, but only a fraction now remains, underscoring the urgency for new exploration.
Provincial breakdown shows that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa holds the largest remaining reserves at 94.24 million barrels, followed by Sindh with 78.98 million barrels, Punjab with 74.23 million barrels, and Balochistan with just 1.6 million barrels. With current production capacity at 60,000 barrels per day, energy experts believe Pakistan must rapidly accelerate exploration to avoid a looming energy crisis.
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has stepped up efforts to attract international companies for oil exploration, aiming to tap Pakistan’s vast untapped reserves. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates Pakistan still has 9.1 billion barrels of undiscovered oil resources. If tapped, these reserves could transform Pakistan’s energy security and significantly reduce the country’s reliance on costly imports.
Adding to the urgency, Pakistan’s energy demand is projected to rise sharply, from 2.23 billion barrels in 2030 to 3.35 billion barrels in the following years. This widening gap between consumption and supply could heavily strain the economy unless new reserves are discovered and developed.
Officials say that successful exploration with global partnerships could be a game-changer, providing long-term stability for Pakistan’s energy sector. Recent discoveries provide some hope: the Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) recently announced a new oil discovery at the Chakrun-1 exploratory well in Tando Allah Yar, Sindh. The well, drilled under the Tando Allah Yar Exploration License, showed a flow rate of 275 barrels of oil per day, highlighting the potential for fresh finds across the country.
Energy experts stress that without aggressive exploration and investment, Pakistan risks facing higher energy imports, rising costs, and increasing pressure on foreign exchange reserves. But with international support and better policies, the country’s untapped reserves could secure its energy future.
