Azerbaijan, Baku, Jul.2/ Trend F.Milad/
Drilling platforms related to three heavy crude oilfields, including Kooh Mond, Kaki and Booshgan will start operation by next month, an official with the Petroleum Engineering and Development Company of Iran said.
Bahman Samimi Sadeh told the Shana News Agency that in the first phase, some 11,000 barrels of oil is projected to be produced at the three oilfields.
The first phase will come on stream within 52 months, he noted.
Eighteen heavy and extra heavy crude oilfields have so far been explored in Iran. The Ferdowsi oilfield, being the largest extra heavy crude oilfield in the Middle East, will become operational by the end of the Fifth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2015), the National Iranian Oil Company's director for planning affairs Abdolmohammad Delparish announced in September 2011.
Delparish added that development of onshore heavy crude oilfields such as Kooh Mond and Zagheh were also on agenda.
Currently, Iran's recoverable oil reserves are estimated at 151 billion barrels, including 70 billion barrels of heavy and extra heavy crudes.
Iran holds the world's fourth largest proven oil reserves and has the second largest natural gas reserves.