Italy’s Eni has entered the final phase of exploration drilling at its keenly watched Kekra-1 wildcat off Pakistan, on which the country is pinning hopes of a giant gas discovery that could transform its energy industry and attract new exploration investment.

The well, which has been sidetracked twice and where drilling has had to be suspended on a couple of occasions – once to carry out repairs to the drilling unit – has now been drilled to a depth of 5148 metres.

These delays have reportedly contributed to costs for the high-profile well escalating from the initially touted $75 million to about $90 million.

Results from the gas exploration well are now expected to be known around early June, two months beyond the originally hoped-for completion date.

Eni and its co-venturers in January spudded the ultra-deepwater Kekra-1 exploration well in Block Indus-G about 280 kilometres off Pakistan’s commercial capital, Karachi.

The well is targeting a structure with multi-trillion cubic feet of gas potential.

“Eni Pakistan has estimated 9 trillion cubic feet (of) gas deposits (in potential),” a Petroleum Ministry official earlier said.

Meanwhile, Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy in April pegged Kekra’s pre-drill prospective resource potential at 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

Kekra-1 is being drilled by the drillship Saipem 12000 and had a prognosed total depth of around 5800 metres, though it is understood that a total depth of less than 5700 metres is now planned.

Consultants Wood Mackenzie have said that Kekra-1 is "targeting a carbonate play that could be a game-changer for the country's burgeoning gas market" if successful.

Block Indus-G (Block 2265-1) partners are Eni, US supermajor ExxonMobil, state-owned Oil & Gas Development Company and Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL), each with a 25% interest.

ExxonMobil farmed in to the block in 2018 ahead of the exploration programme. A delegation of ExxonMobil officials recently met the Pakistan government, and local media reported the US player as conveying its interest in exploring in other offshore blocks and also participating in the nation’s liquefied natural gas industry.

Energy-hungry Pakistan today relies on LNG imports to help meet its burgeoning demand for natural gas.

Weekly

Eni into final phase at Kekra