TEHRAN, Sep. 8 (PEDCO) – Petroiran Development Company has commenced drilling the first infill development well at South Pars as part of a major contract to drill nine wells aimed at addressing gas supply imbalances.
Alireza Sadeghi Abdollahi, CEO of Petroiran Development Company (PEDCO), announced that the drilling began on July 10, 2024, marking the start of the second package under the Infill Drilling Project.
The project is being executed by Drilling International Ltd. (DCI), a PEDCO subsidiary.
He noted that the project is progressing under close daily supervision, with the aim of putting the first well into operation in the shortest time possible.
Challenges in Equipment Procurement
Sadeghi identified two key challenges: (1) delays in the supply of domestically produced equipment due to limited manufacturing capacity amid a high national demand, and (2) the need to import certain non-domestically available items, which is complicated by sanctions and foreign currency payment constraints.
To avoid disruptions, PEDCO has temporarily secured necessary equipment for the first well and launched tenders for the procurement of high-quality domestic and international items.
The tendering process has concluded and proposals are under review.
Operational Milestones
Thanks to coordination with Pars Oil and Gas Company and Iran Offshore Oil Company, the DCI-2 rig was successfully relocated to the SPD12B platform with minimal delay.
The transfer, executed under challenging weather and technical conditions in the Persian Gulf, was managed by Dr. Hamidreza Saqafi and DCI personnel.
Drilling operations began with the 32-inch hole section, which was completed—including casing and cementing—in less than four days. This was followed by the successful drilling and casing of the 24-inch section, and then the 16-inch hole, making PEDCO the first company to complete these phases at this site.
Comprehensive Coordination
Throughout the process, engineering, logistics, procurement, and other support teams worked to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Technical risk assessments and planning were conducted in parallel with drilling to ensure a smooth workflow.
Sadeghi concluded by thanking all involved, particularly Dr. Saqafi and the PEDCO and DCI teams, for their relentless efforts toward the successful execution of this critical national project aimed at increasing Iran’s gas production capacity.