Heidar Bahmani, managing director of the National Iranian Drilling Company told reporters in south oil regions that drilling at South Pars phase 9 started as of March 24, adding, “At present, drilling three wells is under way while ten 32-inch pits with a depth of 180 m have been drilling on SPD platform No. 10.”

The official noted that drilling at phases 9 and 10 is the first project that is being done in South Pars phases under management of Iranian experts and includes drilling 22 developmental gas wells on platforms Nos. 10 and 11, which will be carried out in 30 months.

Bahmani also noted that 27 wells have been drilled in the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2007) in various parts of the country, thus increasing total depth of oil and gas wells drilled by the drilling rigs of the company to 49,410 m.

The official noted that since the beginning of the new Iranian year (March 22) up to the end of the second Iranian month (May 21), 779 case of technical operations and 81 cases of special operations have been carried out, up by 76 and 10 cases respectively compared to the first two months of the preceding year.

The National Iranian Drilling Company drilled over 326,000 m ells last year, which was a new record in its history.