Eni has made a significant gas discovery onshore Pakistan in the Badhra Area B exploration concession, located in the Khirtar Fold Belt region, 350 km (217 miles) north of Karachi.

The Badhra B North-1 exploratory well, which led to the discovery, was drilled at a total depth of 2,450 m (8,038 ft) and encountered over 54 m (177 ft) of net gas pay in two thick Cretaceous sandstones of the Mughal Kot Formation, according to Eni. During the production test, the well flowed high quality gas from the two reservoirs, respectively at 25 MMscf/d and 35 MMscf/d.

The size of the discovery is currently estimated at between 300 Bcf and 400 Bcf of gas in place, and its delineation will require further appraisal wells.

The discovery is located 20 km (12 miles) east of the Bhit gas processing facility, operated by Eni, which currently handles the gas production from the Bhit and Badhra fields. The drilling of Badhra North B-1 is part of Eni's new strategy in Pakistan that aims to refocus exploration activities in the neighboring areas to productive fields and confirms the presence of significant exploration potential that can be exploited through the application of new geological models.

Eni, through its subsidiary Eni Pakistan Ltd., is operator of the block with a 40% stake in the development phase, together with partners Premier Oil Plc. (6%), Kufpec Pakistan Ltd. (34%), and Oil & Gas Development Co. Ltd. (20%).