Drilling Begins at Iranian Gas Field

The managing director of National Iranian Oil Company announced the start of drilling operations for development wells at the Balal Gas Field, relying on the expertise of Iranian engineers.

According to NIOC, Hamid Bovard said the start of drilling at the Balal field marks a milestone in efforts to expand the country’s gas production capacity and could play an effective role in reducing the energy supply gap. He said entering this phase signals a new period of technical and engineering efforts aimed at strengthening the resilience of the national energy network.

He thanked the oil minister for his support and noted the close cooperation between Pars Oil and Gas Company and the Petropars Group, adding that progress in the Balal field development plan is the result of constructive coordination between the client and the contractor.

Bovard emphasized that the parallel progress of drilling, deck construction and pipeline installation demonstrates the technical and managerial capability of domestic specialists, and said the project is advancing according to schedule. With drilling underway and construction and installation continuing, the Balal field development plan is moving rapidly toward final preparation for gas production.

The Balal field is located about 30 kilometers southeast of the South Pars field, 90 kilometers southwest of Lavan Island, and at a water depth of roughly 70 meters in the Persian Gulf, along the shared maritime border between Iran and Qatar. The field is estimated to hold about 3 trillion cubic feet of gas in place and more than 100 million barrels of proven condensate in place.

In addition, the acting director of the Balal field development project announced the official start of drilling operations for development wells in this shared field, calling it a key step in accelerating the project and ensuring stable gas production in Iran’s energy hub. According to Pars Oil and Gas Company, Ehsan Mohammadi said drilling began after the DCI-1 offshore rig was fully installed at the Balal jacket site. He said the rig relocation was carried out through coordinated planning between the contractor and the client, and preparations — including equipment transfer, deployment of support vessels, drilling services and logistical arrangements — have been completed.

Mohammadi added that with improved weather conditions and the completion of installation and preparation work, the rig is now in its final position and drilling of development wells has officially started. He described the launch of drilling as a major milestone toward utilizing the capabilities of this shared field, adding that this phase will play a decisive role in strengthening the country’s planned stable gas production and accelerating the company’s development goals.

Balal Project Enters Crucial Drilling Phase

Hamidreza Saqafi, CEO of Petropars Group, said that after the successful installation of the jacket in June 2025 and the rapid progress in deck construction — from about 4% in September 2024 to more than 34% in November 2025 — the Balal project has now entered its critical drilling phase. He added that the project has been scheduled so that once drilling is completed and the pipeline is finished, the deck can be installed on the jacket without any delay and production can begin. Saqafi thanked POGC for its strong support as the project’s client, saying this cooperation has significantly accelerated the project’s progress. - Shana