TEHRAN, Dec. 27 (MNA) – Iran has the capacity to domestically manufacture drilling rigs in the near future, a senior official at the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) has announced.
Dariush Raeisi referred to the considerable increase in the number of drilling rigs and operations in the coming years adding, “at the moment, NIDC has 68 owned and 5 leased rigs in its possession. Only three of these rigs are active on the sea and the rest are stationed on land.”


While noting that the number of the rigs would increase to 95 within five years, Raeisi stressed on the company’s plan to manufacture domestic rigs and said, “it has been planned that initially 60 percent of the equipment for the rigs be manufactured in Iran and then the rigs would be constructed totally domestically. The project of constructing 14 drilling rigs will be a giant leap in Iran's domestic manufacture.”


“Presently, there are some Iranian companies capable of producing certain rig equipment such as drag boxes, compressors, and top drives,” said Raeisi, further highlighting the potential of domestic companies in manufacturing drilling rigs.


Exploration and development of oil and gas fields in Iran requires tens of drilling rigs a great number of which are imported from China.


Recently, a deputy head of NIDC had said at least 10 drilling rigs were planned to be reconstructed every year, adding that the main obstacle was finance.


Takayedi said the oldest rig owned by NIDC is more than 45 years old and the rigs need to undergo reconstruction regularly.


The newest rig of NIDC is Fath-93 which was launched a month ago. The onshore rig which cost 12.5 million euros can drill up to 6,000 meters. It is equipped with advanced hydraulic and electronic systems, drill watch, top drive, five pumps and two generators.


NIDC owns some 70 rigs and has rented 5 others for drilling operations in ten oil-rich provinces.


By Mehr News Agency





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