The demand for oil is overflowing and the solution is clear: build an artificial island in the sea

Pakistan is pushing ahead with one of its most ambitious energy projects yet: building an artificial island designed to supercharge offshore oil and gas exploration in the Arabian Sea.

The state-owned company Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) says the man-made platform will stand about six feet above sea level, high enough to prevent tidal surges from forcing costly work stoppages.

The island sits roughly 19 miles off the coast of Sindh Province, near the district of Sujawal—a remote but strategically important area for the country’s energy ambitions.

What makes this island so critical for oil drilling?

With global demand for oil soaring and Pakistan determined to expand domestic production, engineers have designed the island to support 25 new drilling wells.The goal is simple: uninterrupted operations in waters where tides and storms often halt offshore rigs.

PPL’s head of commercial R&D, Arshad Palekar, confirmed that construction is set to wrap up by February. Drilling is expected to begin immediately afterward.

This strategy mirrors successful projects in Abu Dhabi, which has been building artificial islands for years to increase offshore output while cutting operational downtime.

Why the U.S. is suddenly interested in Pakistan’s oil

The project is unfolding during a moment of rising diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and the United States.

According to Bloomberg, U.S. interest surged after President Donald Trump publicly highlighted Pakistan’s vast, underdeveloped oil reserves. That interest took a more concrete turn during an August meeting between Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker.

Baker said American companies are showing “strong and growing interest” in Pakistan’s oil, gas, and mining sectors, aligning with what she called President Trump’s outlook on energy cooperation. She added that the U.S. Embassy would actively help build direct links between companies in both countries.

Which companies will control offshore drilling rights?

To accelerate the sector’s growth, Pakistan recently granted new offshore exploration licenses to several local firms, including:

• Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL)
• Mari Energies
• Prime International Oil and Gas Co.

These companies will play a central role in tapping reserves that Pakistan hopes will ease domestic shortages and attract substantial foreign investment.

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