The National Iranian Drilling Company, a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Polish EXALO Drilling SA to cooperate in oil and gas development projects.
The MoU was signed by Sepehr Sepehri, NIDC's managing director, and unnamed Polish officials in Tehran on Tuesday, Shana reported.
As per the agreement, EXALO will provide NIDC with a range of services, including technical engineering support, and supply drilling and extraction equipment. The company will meet its requirement from domestically-made goods. According to Sepehri, the move is in line with the Oil Ministry's policy to indigenize oil and gas equipment.
"EXALO, a former affiliate of Polish state oil and gas company PGNiG, became independent in 2013 and has over 70 years of international experience working in more than 25 countries on three continents," he said, adding that the firm has an active presence not only in Iraq but also in Kuwait.
According to the official, EXALO has planned to establish a strong presence in Arvand Free Trade Zone located in southwest Iran, bordering Arvand River and southern Iraq, which in turn can help NIDC expand its foothold in southern Khuzestan Province.
Sepehri added that NIDC is holding talks with Iraqi and Omani oil officials to launch joint ventures in these states, hoping that collaboration with EXALO can help NIDC have a stronger say in foreign markets.
"Collaboration with foreign oil firms, namely the National Oil Company of Libya, has helped NIDC draw on the experience of multinationals to be ready to launch joint ventures," he said.
A subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company, NIDC, is engaged in 70% of Iran's onshore drilling ventures, yet it only accounts for 12% of offshore initiatives.
"NIDC is playing a key role in the development of various domestic oilfields, namely North and South Azadegan, Yaran and Yadavaran, all located in an oil block known as West Karoun in Khuzestan Province," he said.
According to Shahram Shamipour, an NIDC official, the company's staff are trained in Aberdeen Drilling School, a specialist well control and well engineering training provider offering internationally certified drilling and well intervention courses worldwide.
NIDC is responsible for drilling rigs operated by the National Iranian South Oil Company, Petroleum Engineering and Development Company, Iranian Offshore Oil Company, Iranian Central Oil Fields Company, Arvandan Oil and Gas Company and Pars Oil and Gas Company.
"The company has 73 drilling rigs, 68 of which are being used in joint oilfields, namely Azar in Ilam Province as well as South Pars, the world's largest gas field shared by Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf," he said, adding that the rigs are overhauled by domestic engineers.
