Russian semi spuds well in Caspian off Iran

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 15 -- A unit of National Iranian Oil Co. has spudded an exploratory well in the Caspian Sea off Iran.

Construction of the Iran Alborz fourth-generation semisubmersible began in 2001 (OGJ, July 4, 2005, p. 57). It is operated by Iran North Drilling Co., said a report by China’s Xinhua News Agency.

NIOC said the vessel will be capable of drilling in as much as 800 m of water, but it didn’t give the location or water depth (see map, OGJ, July 31, 1989, p. 44). The first well is projected to 1,550 m under the sea bed.

Nearest oil and gas production to Caspian waters off Iran is in coastal southwestern Turkmenistan onshore and in the Caspian off Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.