Petropars Launches Drilling of Balal Development Wells
Drilling operations for the development wells of the Balal Project commenced today as the project entered one of its most critical execution phases—a stage that plays a vital role in achieving the target of producing 500 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) of natural gas and contributing to addressing the country’s gas supply imbalance.
The Petropars Group proudly announced that today, at a pivotal moment for the Balal Project, drilling operations for the development wells have officially begun. This milestone follows the deployment of the drilling rig and completion of all preparatory activities and represents a decisive step toward achieving daily production of 500 MMcfd of natural gas and supporting efforts to offset the national gas imbalance.
Dr. Hamidreza Saghafi, CEO of the Petropars Group, referring to the project’s upward progress trend, stated: “Following the successful installation of the jacket in June 2025 and a remarkable leap in the progress of topside fabrication—from approximately 4 percent in September 2024 to over 34 percent by November 2025—the Balal Project has today entered the decisive phase of development well drilling. This achievement is the result of the round-the-clock efforts of Petropars’ offshore and onshore specialists.”
He added: “The simultaneous advancement of jacket fabrication and installation, well drilling, topside construction, pipeline execution, and infrastructure preparation reflects Petropars’ technical and managerial maturity in executing complex offshore projects. Project planning has been structured in such a way that upon completion of drilling and the pipeline, the topside will be installed on the jacket without the slightest delay, and production will commence.”
Expressing appreciation for the employees’ efforts, the CEO said: “We are proud of our hardworking colleagues at Petropars. Your commitment, expertise, and tireless efforts have been the driving force behind this progress, and your role in this national achievement is truly commendable.”
He also expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support of the esteemed employer, Pars Oil and Gas Company, adding that this cooperation has played a significant role in accelerating the project’s progress.
In the same context, Mr, Shahriari, Project Manager of the Balal Project, stated: “The simultaneous progress of drilling operations, topside construction, and pipeline execution is the result of precise coordination between offshore and onshore teams and demonstrates that Petropars, relying on its technical and managerial capabilities, is moving along the path of executing a model offshore project.”
It is worth noting that with the official commencement of drilling as of today and the concurrent progress of topside fabrication and pipeline operations, the Balal Project is advancing strongly toward the start of gas production—an achievement that symbolizes Iranian engineering capability and stands as a source of pride for the Petropars family.