THE CASPIAN SEA FIELDS IRAN'S OFFERING TO FOREIGNERS
During the 10th joint economic commission meeting, held on Dec.21 between Iran and Azerbaijan, both sides emphasised the boosting of economic relations.
Iran and Azerbaijan's trade turnover stands below $500 million according to Iranian officials statements, while the custom statistics show the figure is less than $300 million.
In energy, Iran holds a 10% share in Azerbaijan's offshore gas field, Shah Deniz. Iran and Azerbaijan also swap about 1 million cubic metres of gas a day and also exchange power.
Last November, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh explained the country's interests in cooperation with Azerbaijan, during an exclusive interview with Trend.
The most important issue for Iran currently is the development of about 50 oil and gas fields, offered to foreigners last month in the framework of a newly designed oil and gas contract, called the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC).
Iran has offered four projects in the Caspian Sea, blocks 24, 26 and 29, as well as the Sardar-e Jangal oil fields to foreigners for exploration and development.
Iran has divided its exploration area in Caspian sea to 46 blocks of which eight have priority. Iran has previously carried out 3D seismic operations in 4000 square kilometres of the Caspian Sea at blocks 6,7,8 and 21 from 2003 to 2005.
Iran also announced in 2012 that while drilling a 1,000-metre well below the surface of the Caspian Sea by the Amir Kabir drilling rig, the country found a gas field at the depth of 700 kilometres. A year later Tehran announced the field (Sardar-e Jangal) was in fact an oil field with a gas layer. The Amir Kabir drilling rig's crane crashed last March in the mentioned field. Baku has the necessary equipment to repair the crane.
In energy, Iran holds a 10% share in Azerbaijan's offshore gas field, Shah Deniz. Iran and Azerbaijan also swap about 1 million cubic metres of gas a day and also exchange power.
Last November, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh explained the country's interests in cooperation with Azerbaijan, during an exclusive interview with Trend.
The most important issue for Iran currently is the development of about 50 oil and gas fields, offered to foreigners last month in the framework of a newly designed oil and gas contract, called the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC).
Iran has offered four projects in the Caspian Sea, blocks 24, 26 and 29, as well as the Sardar-e Jangal oil fields to foreigners for exploration and development.
Iran has divided its exploration area in Caspian sea to 46 blocks of which eight have priority. Iran has previously carried out 3D seismic operations in 4000 square kilometres of the Caspian Sea at blocks 6,7,8 and 21 from 2003 to 2005.
Iran also announced in 2012 that while drilling a 1,000-metre well below the surface of the Caspian Sea by the Amir Kabir drilling rig, the country found a gas field at the depth of 700 kilometres. A year later Tehran announced the field (Sardar-e Jangal) was in fact an oil field with a gas layer. The Amir Kabir drilling rig's crane crashed last March in the mentioned field. Baku has the necessary equipment to repair the crane.
The Iranian part of the Caspian Sea has also been twice studied by Azerbaijani equipment--once before the fall of the Soviet Union, and the second time in 1994 and 1995--to discover possible hydrocarbon reserves, but to no avail.
Azerbaijan has all the necessary technical equipment to cooperate further on energy, from rig building yards like Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory, barges for transferring the rigs, and platforms as well as laying pipelines under sea, huge cranes, seismic vessels, and several rigs that could be rented to Iran as well as supportive ships for various operational activities.
Azerbaijan has all the necessary technical equipment to cooperate further on energy, from rig building yards like Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory, barges for transferring the rigs, and platforms as well as laying pipelines under sea, huge cranes, seismic vessels, and several rigs that could be rented to Iran as well as supportive ships for various operational activities.
Here are the technical details of the above mentioned fields:
Sardar-e Jangal
This field is located at block 6 with dimensions of 24 x 6 kilometres in 750 metres water depth. Iran has drilled two exploration wells and reportedly the field holds 2 billion barrels of crude oil, with an API of 39.
Blocks 24, 26, and 29
Block 24 is located 130 kilometres north of the Nowshahr port and has a depth of 600-800 metres and a 200-square-kilometre area.
Block 26 is situated 100 kilometres north-east of the Anzali port and has a depth of 850-900 metres and a 384-square-kilometre area.
Block 29 is also located 135 km north of the Nowshahr port and has a depth of 800 metres and an area of 1028 square kilometres.
Sardar-e Jangal
This field is located at block 6 with dimensions of 24 x 6 kilometres in 750 metres water depth. Iran has drilled two exploration wells and reportedly the field holds 2 billion barrels of crude oil, with an API of 39.
Blocks 24, 26, and 29
Block 24 is located 130 kilometres north of the Nowshahr port and has a depth of 600-800 metres and a 200-square-kilometre area.
Block 26 is situated 100 kilometres north-east of the Anzali port and has a depth of 850-900 metres and a 384-square-kilometre area.
Block 29 is also located 135 km north of the Nowshahr port and has a depth of 800 metres and an area of 1028 square kilometres.
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Dalga Khatinoglu is Natural Gas Europe's expert on Iran energy sector and head of Trend Agency's Iran news service.
*The article was written originally for Iran's Daily Shargh in Persian.
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