Mini Refining Units for S. Azadegan

EghtesadOnline: In line with plans to raise crude output by developing shared reservoirs with Iraq, an agreement to install skid mounted modular mini refining units to process 50,000 barrels per day in South Azadegan Oilfield has been concluded with an unnamed international firm, an official of the Petroleum Engineering and Development Company said.

News ID: ۷۸۱۷۳۱

12 February 2018

"Once they become operational, the field's refining capacity will rise by 50,000 bpd," Touraj Dehqani was also quoted as saying by Shana on Sunday.

A modular refinery is a unit whose parts are constructed in modules with capacities ranging from 500 to 50,000 barrels per day and for easing transportation.

Pointing to the field's current output capacity at 100,000 bpd, Dehqani said the expansion of the field's production rate to 300,000 bpd is feasible in two years, according to Financial Tribune.

South Azadegan is estimated to hold 33 billion barrels of oil in place. It is part of the West Karoun oil block in Khuzestan, which holds 67 billion barrels of oil.

According to the official, close to 120 wells have been drilled in the field, of which 50 have come on stream in the last eight months.

"The tender for Azadegan Oilfield drilling operations is going as scheduled," he said, adding that plans have been devised to drill 100,000 wells in West Karoun in the next few years after financial constraints are removed.

West Karoun includes several large oilfields straddling the Iran-Iraq border, namely Azadegan, Yaran, Yadavaran and Darkhoein, with the first three divided into north and south projects. The block holds an estimated 67 billion barrels of oil in place.

Drilling Operations

According to Sepehr Sepehri, the National Iranian Drilling Company's managing director, the firm has completed operations to drill more than 143 exploration, appraisal, repair and production oil and gas wells since March 2017.

NIDC is responsible for drilling rigs operated by the National Iranian South Oil Company, Petroleum Engineering, and Development Company, Iranian Offshore Oil Company, Iranian Central Oil Fields Company, Arvandan Oil and Gas Company and Pars Oil and Gas Company.

"The company has 73 drilling rigs, 68 of which are being used in the joint oilfields, namely South Azadegan, 80 km west of Ahvaz in Khuzestan Province along the Iran-Iraq border, Azar in Ilam Province as well as South Pars, the world's largest gas field shared between Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf," he said, adding that rigs are normally overhauled by domestic engineers.

According to Sepehri, NIDC's staff are trained in Aberdeen Drilling School, a specialist well control and well engineering training provider offering internationally certified drilling and well intervention courses worldwide.

“Reducing the drilling time and enhancing precision and safety are among NIDC's priorities,” he said.

Stressing the importance of preserving the environment, he said drilling rigs are optimized with modern waste management systems that would help protect the environment and reduce air pollution.