Offshore staff

TEHRAN, Iran – National Iranian Offshore Oil Co. (NIOC) has started work on a new 3D seismic survey in the Persian Gulf. The 1,350-sq km (521-sq mi) program will cover four Iranian fields and three overlapping into the waters of neighboring states.

NIOC Managing Director Mahmood Zirakchianzade told Iranian news service Shana that the survey, using a modern vessel, should improve delineation of the shared fields. The company is also planning a 4D seismic survey over one of its oil fields in the Persian Gulf, he continued, which could be Norouz, Soroush, or Abozar.

Zirakchianzade said NIOC had further plans for drilling offshore oilfields in the Qeshm Island region. Exploratory drilling has been authorized on one of these, Hormoz A, where the company expects to find good quality, light and sweet crude, similar to what it produces from the offshore Hengam field.

Two other oil fields near the island, Tosan and Taftan, are under review for development. These could be exploited as part of plans to establish a new oil hub on Qeshm Island.

Last month, Zirakchianzade told Shana that NIOC had further plans to establish a gas hub on Siri Island in the Persian Gulf.

Siri Island is currently connected via different gas pipelines to the Salman offshore gas platform and to facilities in Qeshm and Kish islands.

Around 25 MMcm (883 MMcf) of associated gas produced on Siri Island fuels a power plant on Kish Island, and that volume will increase to 45 MMcm/d (1.6 bcf/d) following installation of a new compressor station.

Negotiations are under way, he added, that could lead to gas from Siri being exported to some of Iran’s neighbors.

07/08/2011