Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Reserves Improve After New Discoveries in 2025
Pakistan’s domestic energy sector saw improvement in 2025. New oil and gas discoveries helped increase the country’s hydrocarbon reserves.
These additions have slightly improved Pakistan’s energy outlook. They also help reduce dependence on imported fuel.
According to recent industry data compiled by Arif Habib Limited and reported in local energy briefings, Pakistan’s total hydrocarbon reserve life has now reached about 17 years as of the end of 2025.
Gas reserves are now estimated to support around 18 years of consumption, while oil reserves can last around 11 years at current production rates.
Growth in Oil Reserves
Pakistan’s proven oil reserves increased during 2025. They rose by about 6% year-on-year to nearly 253 million barrels. A large part of this increase came from new discoveries. The Baragzai field contributed the biggest share, adding over 21 million barrels of oil. Smaller gains also came from fields like Bettani and Shahdadpur. Overall, several new and existing fields helped support this growth.
Growth in Gas Reserves
Natural gas reserves also increased in 2025. They rose by around 4%, reaching about 18,854 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Key contributions came from fields such as:
- Mari Ghazij
- Shahdadpur
- Shewa
- Bettani
New discoveries in areas like Spinwam, Baragzai, and Soho also added to the total.
New Discoveries Driving the Increase
The improvement in reserves was mainly due to new discoveries, not just revised estimates. Several new fields were reported during 2025, including:
- Baragzai
- Spinwam
- Bitrism East
- Chakar
- Faakir
Together, these discoveries added roughly:
- 23.8 million barrels of oil
- 367 billion cubic feet of gas
Impact on Energy Security
Experts say these discoveries are a positive sign for Pakistan’s energy sector. The increase in reserves supports long-term energy planning. It also slightly improves supply stability. However, Pakistan still depends heavily on imports for:
- crude oil
- refined petroleum products
- LNG (liquefied natural gas)
Most of these imports come from Gulf countries and pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
Why It Matters
Pakistan faces pressure from rising energy demand and import costs. Any disruption in global supply routes can quickly affect prices inside the country. In this context, domestic discoveries help in two ways:
- They reduce import needs slightly
- They strengthen long-term energy security
Conclusion
The year 2025 brought positive news for Pakistan’s oil and gas sector. New discoveries and rising reserves improved the country’s hydrocarbon base and extended reserve life to about 17 years. While this is a positive development, Pakistan will still rely heavily on imports for the foreseeable future. Domestic exploration remains important for future energy stability.
