KARACHI: The country’s average per day oil and gas production dropped 10 per cent and 2pc, respectively, in the week ending Aug 18-24 to 69,878 barrels and 3,337 million cubic feet from 77,730bopd and 3,406mmcfd over the preceding week Aug 11-17.

An analyst at Arif Habib Ltd (AHL) attributed the decline in oil production to annual turnaround (ATA) of Nashpa oil field from where the weekly production fell by 44pc to 7,629bopd from 13,622bopd followed by production drops in other fields also. There was also an ATA in a small oil field called Mela.

Oil production from Makori East, Adhi and Kunnar Pasaki Deep plunged by 7.8pc, 2.6pc and 7.7pc to 8,330, 7,955 and 1,426bopd from 9,032, 8,166 and 1,546bopd respectively. Oil production from Rajan oil field also dropped to 1,379 from 1,514bopd, down by 8.9pc.

Some low oil producing fields like Mazari and Jhandal also registered decline of 38pc and 1.5pc to 249 and 262bopd from 402 and 266bopd.

In gas, out of 12 fields, the AHL data showed fall in gas production in Uch and Sutiari Deep by 2.2pc and 4.8pc to 420 and 126mmcfd during Aug 18-24 from 429 and 133mmcfd during Aug 11-17.

Gas production from Mari and Sui fields went up by 1.8pc and 1pc to 759 and 340mmcfd from 746 and 336mmcfd while gas production Kunnar Paskaki Deep and Kandhkot rose by 1pc each to 128 and 85mmcfd from 127 and 84mmcfd.

AHL analyst said gas production had fallen owing to shutdown at Gambat South Gas processing facility.

However, the AHL data also mentioned slight fall in oil and gas production to 77,941bopd and 3,299 during August 4-10 versus 78,708bopd and 3,455mmcfd during July 28-Aug 3.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2021