Iran mobilises rig

Iran has started moving the Amir Kabir submersible drilling rig 115 km southeast, from blocks 2-6 to blocks 1-8 in Caspian Sea. This is a new step, as it joins four other Caspian littoral neighbours in exploring for offshore hydrocarbon reserves.

Iran divided its exploration area in the Caspian into 34 blocks (46 structures) of which eight have priority. Iran had carried out 3D seismic operations in 4000 km² at blocks 6,7,8 and 21 from 2003 to 2005.

After several years’ exploration, Iran announced in 2012 that while drilling a 1,000-metre deep well under the Caspian, the Amir Kabir found a gas field at the depth of 700 m. A year later Tehran announced the field (Sardar-e Jangal) was in fact an oil field with 2bn barrels reserves of API 39-quality crude, as well as a gas layer. Iran has drilled two wells in Sardar-e Jangal.

Iran unveiled a new oil and gas contract, called the Iran Petroleum Contract, last November, offering 49 oil and gas fields to foreigners. Among them, were four projects in the Caspian Sea – blocks 24, 26 and 29 and the Sardar-e Jangal oil field, in block 6 (144 km²), lies under water depth of 750 m. Block 24 is 130 km north of Nowshahr under 600-800 m of water and covers 200 km². Block 26 is 100 km northeast of Anzali, under 850-900 m of water and covers 384 km². And Block 29 is 135 km north of Nowshahr, at a depth of 800 m and covering 1028 km².

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