Tasnim � Iran has gained self-sufficiency in the repair and maintenance of offshore oil drilling rigs, an official said.

The CEO of Iranian holding Sina Energy Development Company (SEDCO) said the country does not rely on foreigners to repair offshore oil rigs anymore.

Javad Owji said local experts have obtained the technical know-how to repair the drilling rigs in the oil and gas fields in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

The homegrown rigs are used in both vertical and horizontal directional drilling for oil and gas extraction, he added.

Owji said the drilling rigs were sent abroad for repair and renovation in the past, but the domestic maintenance of the equipment has helped the country save up to $6 million for each rig.

Iranian companies have constructed and installed nearly all offshore platforms of the South Pars gas field south of Iran.

The gas field, whose development has been divided into 28 phases, is located in the Persian Gulf straddling the maritime border between Iran and Qatar.

It covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, of which 3,700 square kilometers belongs to Iran.

It is estimated that the Iranian section of the field contains 14 trillion cubic meters of gas and 18 billion barrels of condensates in place.