Pakistan’s energy sector could see fresh investment and technological cooperation following a new agreement between local company Shaheen Energy (Pvt) Limited and China’s Anton Oilfield Services Group.
The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to examine investment opportunities worth approximately Rs20 billion in Pakistan’s gas and upstream energy industry over the next three to five years.
Focus on Gas Development and Monetization
The proposed partnership will explore several areas of the energy value chain, including upstream gas development, field expansion, gas processing, production improvement and the sale of gas to third-party buyers.
A key area of interest will be the development of stranded and low-pressure gas resources. Such resources can be challenging to commercialize because of technical and economic constraints. The companies intend to examine ways of using modern technology and processing solutions to convert these resources into commercially usable gas.
The partnership also comes at a time when Pakistan’s regulatory framework is creating new opportunities for gas producers.
New Opportunities for Third-Party Gas Sales
Recent changes to the Petroleum (Exploration & Production) Policy 2012 have allowed exploration and production companies to sell up to 35% of their pipeline-quality gas to licensed third-party buyers through a competitive process.
This regulatory development could provide additional opportunities for companies seeking to process, transport and market gas outside traditional arrangements.
For Shaheen Energy, the new framework could complement its existing involvement in gas processing and third-party gas sales. The company has been working with exploration and production companies to develop solutions for processing and commercializing natural and flare gas.
Shaheen Energy’s Processing Capabilities
Shaheen Energy already operates a gas-processing facility at the Sinjhoro field, with a designed capacity of around 10 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD).
The facility currently handles approximately 8–10 MMSCFD of low-pressure permeate gas. Its membrane-based technology is designed to remove carbon dioxide and improve the quality of the gas so that it can meet pipeline requirements.
This existing infrastructure gives Shaheen experience in dealing with gas that might otherwise be difficult to bring into the commercial market.
Anton to Bring International Oilfield Expertise
China-based Anton Oilfield Services Group will contribute its international experience and technical capabilities to the proposed cooperation.
The company provides a range of oilfield services, including drilling and completion, reservoir engineering, production enhancement, field management and energy-resource commercialization. Its operations extend across more than 30 countries and regions.
Through the partnership, Anton’s technical expertise could be combined with Shaheen Energy’s local knowledge, processing facilities and experience in Pakistan’s gas market.
Potential Impact on Pakistan’s Energy Sector
Pakistan continues to face challenges related to energy supply, domestic gas availability and the utilization of existing resources. Developing low-pressure and stranded gas could provide an additional source of commercially usable energy if projects prove technically and financially viable.
The proposed cooperation also highlights the growing role of technology in Pakistan’s upstream energy industry. Advanced processing and production-enhancement techniques can potentially help companies extract greater value from existing fields.
However, the Rs20 billion figure represents investment opportunities that the two companies intend to explore under the MoU; it should not be interpreted as a confirmed investment commitment at this stage. Specific projects would still need to undergo commercial, technical, regulatory and financing assessments.
Looking Ahead
The Shaheen Energy–Anton partnership reflects an effort to combine local expertise with international oilfield technology to identify new opportunities in Pakistan’s gas sector.
Over the proposed three-to-five-year period, the companies will assess projects ranging from gas processing and production enhancement to field development and third-party gas sales.
If commercially viable projects emerge from the cooperation, the initiative could contribute to the broader effort to monetize underutilized gas resources and strengthen Pakistan’s domestic energy infrastructure.