Iran expanding oil exploration

The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Director for Exploration Seyed Mahmoud Mohaddes said the company plans to extend exploratory activities from West and Southwest to Northern and Northeastern country. "Yet, exploration will still be more concentrated in the West and Southwest," the official told Shana, adding that drilling operations which started last year in six oil and gas fields, including Khayyam, Farzad A and Delavaran, will continue this year. Mohaddes said seismic operations which started last year in 210 kilometers of the area surrounding Farzad B in Persian Gulf completed early this year. He further described the last year performance of his department as "successful", saying that his department's activities last year were three times more than its obligations. Last December Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi announced discovery of a new field with remarkable gas reserves in the waters of the Caspian Sea which was named Kochak khan Jangali. Qassemi said oil industry experts could reach the reservoir following more than 2400 meters drilling adding the reservoir is completely within the Iranian side of the sea locating on the edge of Iran's maritime border.