TEHRAN - Head of National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) says 15 drilling rigs from the company's fleet have been based in operational sites in the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC)’s 28-reservoir development projects in southern Iran.

Outlining the company’s plans for the current Iranian calendar year (began on March 20), Abdollah Mousavi said the work of the mentioned rigs has been determined and they will go operational within the next 3 months.

NISOC is conducting new development projects in southern Iran under the framework of a program for maintaining and enhancing oil production in 28 reserves in the mentioned region.

The official noted that NIDC has comprehensive plans for the current year which has been named the year of the surge in production by Leader of the Islamic Republic Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the main part of which is going to be the participation in the drilling operations of National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC)’s 28-reservoir program.

Mentioning a $60-million agreement signed with a domestic firm on Monday, Mousavi noted that based on the agreement two drilling rigs will dig six wells in Jofair and Sepehr oil fields.

NIDC will supply the mentioned contractors with drilling equipment and services, he said.

According to Mousavi, NIDC has also started negotiations with some other contractors that had won the NISOC tenders and new agreements are expected to be signed in the coming months.

Holding 70 onshore and offshore drilling rigs as well as equipment and facilities for offering integrated technical and engineering services, the company accounts for a major part of drilling exploration as well as appraisal/development wells in the country.

As previously announced, NIDC has dug over 240 oil and gas wells across the country in the past two years.

EF/MA