Norway's ORG Enters Iran's Caspian

Norwegian Offshore Resource Group (ORG) signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran’s Khazar Exploration & Production (Kepco) to study oil and gas blocks in Iran's sector of the Caspian Sea, the oil ministry announced November 1. According to the report, ORG will study offshore Sardar-e Jangal oil field as well as blocks 24, 26 and 29.

Iran also signed a similar deal with Lukoil October 4 on Caspian exploration.

Iran established the South Caspian Study Group, composed of Kepco, Anglo-Dutch Shell, Lasmo (now Eni) and Veba Oil in 1999. After 22 months, 86 geological structures were explored and eight were finally selected for a comprehensive study for exploration and production.

Iran started 3-D seismic operations in 4,000 km² of the Caspian Sea in blocks 6, 7, 8 and 21 in 2003 but ceased completely when the Pejvak seismic vessel caught fire in 2005.

Sardar-e Jangal is in block 6. It measures 24 km by 6 km in 750 metres water depth. Iran has drilled two exploration wells and reportedly the field holds 2bn barrels of in-situ crude oil, with an API of 39. Blocks 24 and 29 are about 130 km north of the port of Nowshahr at depths of 600-800 metres and cover 200 km². Block 26 is 100 km northeast of the port of Anzali port at a depth of 850-900 metres and covers 384 km²

Iran is the only Caspian littoral country not to produce oil or gas from the Caspian. Kepco is a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company.

Dalga Khatinoglu