TEHRAN – National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)’s Exploration Directorate has managed to drill nine exploratory wells with a total depth of 13,281 meters in the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 19), Shana reported on Sunday, quoting an official with the company.

According to Mohammadreza Hor, the deputy director for technical affairs at NIOC’s Exploration Directorate, the mentioned directorate currently has seven active drilling rigs and according to the development plans the number of the rigs is planned to increase to eight in the coming months.

He announced the completion of drilling operations of three wells in Forouzan, Mansouri and Deng fields after conducting preliminary tests in February, and said: "Currently, operation trials are underway for Arman exploration well in the region."

Drilling work has been started in West Marun, Ram and Chelingar onshore fields, Hor said, noting that the drilling work will also be conducted jointly by NIOC and Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) for offshore Siri and Yalda fields.

National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) which is a subsidiary of NIOC, completed digging operation of 100 oil and gas wells during the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019-February 19, 2020), the company’s deputy head for drilling operation has announced.

Hamidreza Khoshayand said the drilled wells consisted of two exploration wells and 35 development/appraisal wells as well as 63 workover ones.

Holding 70 onshore and offshore drilling rigs as well as equipment and facilities for offering integrated technical and engineering services, the company plays a major part in drilling exploration as well as appraisal/development wells in the country.

EF/MA