KARACHI — Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has dismissed international media reports claiming the company is creating an artificial island for an upcoming oil and gas project near Sujawal, terming the speculation “incorrect and misleading.”
The clarification follows a Bloomberg report that quoted PPL’s General Manager Exploration, Arshad Palekar, prompting widespread assumptions that the company was reclaiming land from the sea for drilling operations.
In its statement, PPL explained that the activity underway in the Sirani Block — a region largely untouched due to its tough terrain and harsh environmental conditions — is being misconstrued as offshore development. The company confirmed that it is constructing elevated access routes, loading and offloading jetties, and a well pad raised approximately nine feet to withstand tidal fluctuations. These structures are necessary to transport heavy drilling machinery through a natural 17-kilometer water channel.
According to PPL, the project site sits nearly 30 kilometers from the mainland, which may have contributed to confusion about the nature of the operation. The company emphasized that no artificial island is being built and that the project remains strictly onshore.
Drilling is scheduled to commence in March 2026, following the completion of extensive 2D and 3D seismic surveys conducted through advanced transition-zone technology suited for difficult coastal environments.
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The clarification comes as Pakistan’s exploration sector experiences renewed attention. Earlier this year, a viral claim by former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Pakistan possesses “massive oil reserves,” igniting fresh interest and pushing the government to grant new exploration licenses to PPL, Mari Energies Ltd, and Prime International Oil and Gas Company.
