There is strong evidence to suggest that there are untapped hydrocarbon reserves in the Makran region of Pakistan. Originally known as Kech Makran to differentiate from the Iranian Makran. The region stretches all the way from Hub near Karachi to Jiwani in Balochistan. Before partition Makran was part of the Kalat state, but the port of Gwadar was under the rule of the Sultan of Muscat from 1784 to 1958. Makran is divided into four tectonic ranges that form part of the Makran Accretionary Wedge; they are offshore, coastal, outer and inner.
In 1914, the Burmah Oil Company (BOC) applied for an oil prospecting licence in Gwadar. The licence was never issued due to political complications and unsettled boundaries between Gwadar and Kalat. The BOC had also applied for licence in Lasbela, the common thing about all these prospecting licenses were that they were located close to mud volcanoes, which at many places around the world had shown signs of oil and had led to large discoveries e.g. Myanmar, Trinidad and Venezuela. Balochistan is home to several mud volcanoes, majority of them are located in district Lasbela, Awaran and Gwadar (India Office, 1913-1950).
In 1937, BOC approached the Sultan of Muscat again for the lease of the “Jebal e Mehdi” area, somehow the negotiations failed. During the same period, the Indian Oil Company, an American and British consortium also applied for the same area and was unable to secure a prospecting licence. In 1950, there is information to suggest that the British Political Agent in Gwadar reported a seepage or show of oil to the British Residency located in Bahrain. By that time Pakistan had already approached with the Sultan of Muscat to buy or lease Gwadar (India Office, 1913 -1950).
Dr Rodman E. Snead, an Assistant Professor of Geography at Clark University, Massachusetts, and author of Active Mud Volcanoes of Baluchistan writes that the BOC and later Pakistan Hunt Oil Company (PHOC) drilled in the Lasbela area, where all the wells showed signs of gas, but none found oil. The PHOC carried out an analysis of the gas from one of the mud volcanoes and found it contained mainly methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and a trace of unsaturated hydrocarbon (Snead, 1964).
The appearance of islands along the Makran coast over the years is another phenomenon that indicates the presence of methane gas in the area. Methane is the chief constituent of natural gas and is also an energy source to produce electricity, heat and power transport. A study on gas hydrates in Makran believes “The Makran coast in Pakistan provides significant geological evidence of the possible presence of oceanic hydrates (some 200m thick hydrate bearing zone along the entire offshore Makran belt have been identified through bottom simulating reflector (BSR) surveys)”. The study advises Pakistan to establish a Hydrate Research and Development Programme like India and Japan (Ishaq, Asif, Ansari, Hashim, Saifullah, 2012).
Gas hydrates are solid crystalline with methane trapped inside them. They occur in marine sediments and within and beneath permafrost. According to US Department of Energy “When brought to the earth’s surface, one cubic metre of gas hydrate releases 164 cubic metres of natural gas”. China and Japan both have successfully extracted gas hydrates from their coastline.
A recent oceanographic survey has further revealed the presence of large shale gas reserves. Over the past 100 years, since BOC first applied for a prospecting licence in Makran, only a few onshore and 4 offshore exploration wells have been drilled. Most of them were unable to achieve their target depth due to high pressure they encountered in the Miocene section. Bela West is the only area under exploration in Makran. It is located close to the Kandewari mud volcanoes and has tremendous potential.
Hydrocarbons constitute 25% of Pakistan’s import bill. 85% of domestic oil requirements are met through imports. Natural gas contributes 40% to Pakistan’s energy needs. By 2027, Pakistan’s hydrocarbon reservoirs are expected to deplete by 60%. Recent gas discoveries haven’t been able to offset production declines. An Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) trajectory suggests that by 2019-20, the gap between demand and supply will increase by 3,999 Million Cubic Feet per day (MMCFD).
Makran merits a thorough examination for hydrocarbon. There is enough evidence to establish that there is a sizeable petroleum system that exists in the region. A large discovery of hydrocarbons like South Par will not only cater to Pakistan’s local requirements, but create an alternate resource to the Persian Gulf in the Indian Ocean for the global energy market. Gas hydrates are being termed as a future energy source, Pakistan, should also put into motion a strategy and plan of action to explore the possibilities of extracting marine gas hydrates. Another area that requires extensive research is the scope and viability of capturing methane from mud volcanoes or drilled wells.
