KARACHI – Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) is reclaiming land from the sea to build an artificial island dedicated to oil and gas exploration in major move that has potential to transform country’s energy landscape.
A report shared by Bloomberg said the offshore platform, located some 30km off Sindh’s coast near Sujawal, will rise six feet above sea level to withstand high tides and allow non-stop drilling operations. PPL’s General Manager of Exploration and Core Business Development, Arshad Palekar, confirmed the island will be operational immediately after construction wraps up in February, with plans to drill 25 wells.
The project comes as Pakistan’s energy ambitions surge following a July social media post by former US President Donald Trump praising the country’s “massive oil reserves.” In response, Islamabad has granted offshore exploration licenses to PPL, Mari Energies Ltd, and Prime International Oil and Gas Company.
Palekar stressed that the venture draws inspiration from Abu Dhabi, where artificial islands have been successfully used for offshore drilling.
Pakistan’s largest oil refiner, Cnergyico, in partnership with global trading firm Vitol, delivered the country’s biggest-ever shipment of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) for ship refueling. Produced following imports of US crude oil earlier this year, the environmentally compliant fuel meets International Maritime Organization (IMO) low-sulphur standards. This milestone will allow large vessels refueling in Pakistan to travel longer east-to-west routes without stopping, while boosting the nation’s local marine fuel supply.
The South Asian nation also awarded some 2 dozens offshore oil and gas exploration blocks to four consortiums led by local energy companies, some partnered with foreign firms like Turkey’s TPAO.
The successful bidders include OGDCL, PPL, Mari Petroleum, and Prime Energy. The consortiums have pledged $80 million for initial exploration, with potential total investment reaching $750 million–$1 billion. Pakistan’s offshore zone, largely untapped with only 18 wells drilled since 1947, borders Oman, the UAE, and Iran.
