By the OGJ Online Staff
LONDON, July 10 -- TotalFinaElf SA subsidiary Elf Petroleum Iran has awarded KCA Drilling Ltd. a development contract for Doroud field on Kharg Island in Iran.
The $50 million deal, set to run for 3 years, will involve drilling and/or workover of 28 production wells using two drilling units belonging to the National Iranian Drilling Co., with an option for a third.
KCA, the UK drilling arm of Abbot Group PLC, said it would upgrade and modify the drilling units as well as provide management and supervision during the drilling process.
Engineering work is expected to start soon with drilling operations scheduled to begin "at the turn of the year."
Alasdair Locke, executive chairman of Abbot, said, "This contract is significant, not only in terms of the size, but also in terms of penetration into the Iranian market."