TEHRAN – The National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) plans to increase the number of its drilling rigs to 75 by the end of the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (September 22), from the currently 70, Hamidreza Takaydi, the NIDC deputy director said on Friday.

He said of the 75 mentioned rigs, 72 rigs will be onshore and 3 rigs will be offshore.

NIDC was established in Iranian year 1358 (March 1979-March 1980), the official said, adding that the company has conducted over 7 million kilometers of drilling in more than 32,000 wells since then.