Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) rejected reports on Thursday claiming it was reclaiming land from the sea to build an artificial island for oil and gas exploration. The state-owned company issued a detailed clarification and said the project involved only preparatory work to support drilling in a challenging marshland environment near Sujawal. The company stressed that recent claims, particularly from Bloomberg, did not accurately reflect the project’s technical scope.
Bloomberg Report Sparks Confusion
Bloomberg had reported a day earlier that PPL planned to reclaim land from the sea to create a launchpad aimed at boosting exploration activity. The outlet cited PPL’s General Manager Exploration and Core Business Development, Arshad Palekar, and suggested that an artificial island would be formed about 30 kilometres off the Sindh coastline. However, the company’s clarification dismissed this interpretation and labelled it misleading.
Preparatory Work Targets Difficult Terrain
PPL said the ongoing work aimed to ensure safe and stable drilling in the tide-affected Sirani Block near Sujawal. The region has remained largely unexplored because of severe accessibility issues and persistent operational obstacles. The company stated that the activities underway addressed those limitations and did not constitute the construction of a standalone offshore island.
Moreover, PPL highlighted that this initiative represented one of Pakistan’s earliest attempts to drill in such a marshy environment. The firm completed both 2D and 3D seismic surveys using specialised transition-zone technology to map the subsurface accurately. These surveys provided essential data for planning the upcoming exploratory well.
Infrastructure Development Moves Forward
Construction work continues in the area to support safe drilling operations. PPL confirmed that the work includes building loading and offloading jetties along with an access road connecting the jetty to the well site. Because of tidal conditions and weak subsoil, engineers are elevating both the access road and well pad by nearly nine feet. This elevation will protect vital equipment and ensure uninterrupted operations during low and high tides.
Additionally, the company said the well site lies almost 30 kilometres from the mainland. A 17-kilometre natural water channel will transport rig components and supplies through barges between the jetties. PPL plans to spud the exploratory well in March 2026.
Pakistan Expands Offshore Exploration
Pakistan has intensified its drilling programme following renewed international interest. The government accelerated exploration efforts after US President Donald Trump highlighted Pakistan’s potential oil reserves and a recent geological study pointed to significant undiscovered hydrocarbons in offshore basins.
Furthermore, the report emerged only weeks after Pakistan awarded 23 offshore exploration blocks to four consortia of local and foreign companies. The Ministry of Energy said on October 31 that the bidding round was the country’s first offshore offering in nearly two decades. Officials awarded 23 of the 40 blocks, covering about 53,500 square kilometres in total.
