Offshore staff

TEHRAN, Iran – North Drilling Company’s offshore rig Sahar 1 has entered Iranian waters and is currently moored at Kish Island.

According to Managing Director Hedayatolah Khademi, this is the first modern rig bought and equipped by Iranian oil and gas drilling contractors for more than 30 years.

The logistics base set up in Kish Island will be used to support operations in the Persian Gulf, he added.

Iran plans to further expand its offshore and onshore drilling fleet over the next two years from 98 to 134.

Masoud Haghighi, NIOC’s head of marine projects, pointed out that Iran’s neighbors have increased their share of resources by strengthening their fleet in the Persian Gulf.

NIOC’s aim under the country’s Fifth National Development Plan (2011- 2015) is to drill 500 offshore wells. He added, “To achieve the objective we need 40 drilling rigs while currently there are 20 rigs in the Gulf.”

01/05/2012