Two Fat'h drilling rigs have been relocated from the National Iranian South Oil Company to the joint South Azadegan Oil Field following instructions from Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh who has called for the rapid development of joint oil fields, Tasnim News Agency Reported.
Deputy director of the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC), Hamidreza Takaidi said although contracts have not yet been formally signed between NIDC and Petroleum Engineering & Development Company, 7 drilling rigs owned by the company have already been moved and are operating in South Azadegan to expedite work at the joint fields.
According to the official, presently seven Fat'h drilling rigs are active in the joint oil field.
Using the company's machinery, two oil wells had previously been dug for the China National Petroleum Corporation International (CNPCI).
Further procedures including design, management, execution, procuring materials and supplies, and technical support will be provided by the NIDC. To help protect the environment and reduce air pollution, drilling rigs have been optimized with modern waste management systems.
Development plans for South Azadegan are carried out in two phases. By drilling 185 wells in the first phase, oil output is expected to reach 320,000 barrels per day (bpd) and 5.5 million cubic meters of gas per day, and 600,000 bpd in the second phase.
Drilling at 4,200 Meters
NIDC completed drilling of the first well in the South Azadegan joint field in southwest Iran, Shana news agency reported.
The well was drilled at a depth 0f 4,200 meters 23 days before schedule, director of the field's drilling operation Manouchehr Assadi said. Drilling of six more wells are underway with 60-85 percent progress.
Located 80km west of Ahvaz, the field is jointly owned by Iran and Iraq. It contains 6-7 billion barrels of recoverable oil, but geological complexity makes extraction difficult.
Iraq is currently producing 210,000 bpd from the field, with the help of major international oil companies.
