Azerbaijan, Baku, Jul.11/ Trend F.Milad/
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi has said defense industries are cooperating to implement the country's oil and gas projects.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of signing a deal between Oil Ministry and a domestic consortium on Wednesday for building 14 onshore drilling rigs.
He did not give any further details on the method of cooperation, according to the Mehr News Agency.
"Despite all the developments in domestic production of oil industry equipment, imports of such goods are still continuing," Qasemi said.
Iranian deputy oil minister has said that the country is heading toward self-sufficiency in building onshore drilling rigs, adding that the oil ministry will soon ink a deal with domestic companies for
manufacturing 12 new rigs.
Mohammad-Reza Moqaddam told the Shana News Agency that Iran has the potential to be an exporter of drilling rigs in 2015.
Two of the 12 drilling rigs will be built completely using Iranian expertise and parts, he noted.
On June 8, Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) of Iran announced that it will offer a $40m-package of incentives to domestic contractors for building drilling rigs in a bid to counter sanctions against the country's oil sector.
POGC managing director, Mousa Souri, told the Mehr News Agency that at present 11 drilling rigs and jack-up platforms are in operation in the South Pars gas field.
He added that eight new drilling rigs will be commissioned by the end of the current calendar year (March 2013).
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