Pakistan working with Azerbaijan, other countries on White Oil Pipeline
Publishing date: 18 November 2025
Published in: The Nation
Pakistan is working with Azerbaijan and other countries on development of the White Oil Pipeline, said a senior official of the Petroleum Division while addressing an international conference. Other speakers said that Pakistan can unlock billions of barrels of untapped oil and gas reserves through modern AI supported exploration techniques that allow deeper, faster and more accurate identification of resources.
Speakers at the 2nd International Oil and Gas Conference 2025 on Monday said Pakistan’s onshore and offshore basins hold enormous potential that remains underexplored and technology can help close the growing gap between supply and demand. The conference was organised by Energy Update in collaboration with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and attended by leading national and international companies, policymakers and industry experts.
Joint Secretary Petroleum Division Shehbaz Tahir told the conference that the government has introduced reforms to stabilise the energy sector. He said LNG related challenges remain but domestic LNG based connections have now been opened. Kuwait Petroleum Country Manager Ali Taha Al Temimi, delivering the keynote address, said Pakistan’s domestic supply no longer meets national energy needs and the country is forced to rely heavily on imported fuel. He said Pakistan currently produces a maximum of around four billion cubic feet of gas a day which is far below the country’s demand.
He maintained that tight gas, shale gas and deeper reservoirs offer significant new opportunities and AI assisted analysis of geological data can speed up discovery and reduce the high costs of drilling. Chief guest Ali Taha Al Temimi told participants that Pakistan’s oil and gas reserves are depleting while population and consumption continue to rise. He said Pakistan may have between ten and twenty billion barrels of equivalent oil potential in mature basins along with thirty five to seventy trillion cubic feet of tight gas and ninety five to one hundred and five trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the lower Indus Basin.
He said modern seismic imaging and AI supported geological models can help Pakistan explore deeper stratigraphic layers which remain untouched. He said Pakistan’s offshore area covers more than two hundred and eighty two thousand square kilometres but only eighteen wells have been drilled so far. “This is extremely low for a region of this size and offshore Pakistan may hold between six and seven billion barrels of oil equivalent in prospective resources”, he said, adding that a single major offshore success can draw global companies to Pakistan in the same way Namibia’s offshore discoveries triggered international interest.
The energy specialists on the panel recalled that Pakistan had signed contracts to import RLNG with the aim of operating a number of power plants in Punjab to help overcome the national energy crisis. They noted, however, that these LNG-fired plants were now largely redundant due to the growing availability of indigenous energy resources, particularly Thar coal, for power generation. The experts stressed that RLNG should instead be made readily available to industries for operating their captive power plants, ensuring an uninterrupted electricity supply and supporting locally generated power. They also underscored the need for broad-based reforms to ensure the efficient utilisation of surplus RLNG currently being imported into the country. The panellists further highlighted the significance of LPG for remote and rural communities where pipelined natural gas cannot be supplied for domestic heating and cooking. They called for strict enforcement of safety regulations governing the use and transportation of LPG to protect end-consumers. The panel discussed stabilising supply, market distortions and the need for balanced policies. Speakers said Pakistan’s growing population, shrinking reserves and widening energy gap require immediate action.
They urged rapid investment in exploration, faster approvals, stronger private sector participation and consistent policies to help Pakistan achieve long term energy security. They said AI supported exploration and offshore drilling can reshape Pakistan’s energy future if backed by political commitment and investor confidence. Earlier in his welcome address, Energy Update Managing Director and Chairman Organising Committee M Naeem Qureshi said the conference brings together leading experts and innovators to discuss challenges and opportunities in Pakistan’s oil and gas sector. The conference featured presentations by senior professionals including Pakistan Petroleum Limited General Manager Exploration and Core Business Development Arshad Palekar, Pak Arab Refinery Limited Head of Exploration Sohail Hashmi and Attock Refinery General Manager Saleem Anwar who discussed refinery challenges, supply pressures and the need for new exploration. Apex Energy Chief Executive Raziuddin Razi and Barrister Sarah Kazmi also addressed the gathering.
