Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) has publicly rejected global media reports alleging that the company is constructing an artificial offshore island near Sujawal for oil and gas exploration.
In a statement released on Thursday, the state-owned firm said its current operations are focused solely on creating safe conditions for drilling in a difficult, marshy zone, and not on reclaiming land to form an independent island structure.
The clarification was issued after Bloomberg quoted comments attributed to PPL’s senior executive, suggesting the company was setting up a man-made island roughly 30 kilometers off the Sindh coast. PPL called the coverage “misleading” and said it misrepresented both the engineering design and the project’s operational intent.
PPL explained that the work is being carried out in the southern marshy stretch of the Sirani Block, an area that had remained largely untouched because of accessibility challenges. Following extensive 2D and 3D seismic surveying using specialized equipment, the company plans to begin its initial drilling campaign in March 2026.
Construction activity is underway to support the operation, including the creation of loading and offloading jetties and an elevated access road linking the jetty to the well pad. Both structures are being raised nearly nine feet to withstand tidal movement and ensure uninterrupted work.
Although the site sits about 30 kilometers from the mainland, a natural 17-kilometer water channel is being used to transport materials and rig components via barge.
Momentum in Pakistan’s drilling sector has increased in recent months after a widely shared social media post by former US President Donald Trump claimed the country held “massive oil reserves.” Since then, new exploration licenses have been issued to PPL, Mari Energies Ltd, and Prime International Oil & Gas Company.
