Iranian minister calls on private sector to invest in drilling rigs
The private sector’s contractors should have active participation in providing rigs for drilling oil and gas wells in the country, said oil minister, Iran Daily reports.
Rostam Qassemi said performing marine drilling operations requires expensive technologies, adding fruitful measures have been taken in this respect, IRNA said.
He added that the oil industry is in need of 100 onshore drilling rigs, saying contractors should contribute to the construction and import of drilling rigs to help achieve the oil production target stipulated by the Fifth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2010-15), which is 5.2 million barrels per day.
Earlier, the minister said that National Iranian Drilling Company used to meet the oil industry’s requirements and that there are suitable grounds for private sector’s participation in producing and developing drilling rigs.
He hoped that private sector’s involvement in constructing drilling rigs will help increase competition among various sectors.