Exploratory drilling has started at the Sepand gas field, 250 km (155 mi) from Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.
NIOC Persian Gulf studies head Ghadirali Fakouri says evaluation of the field started in 1993, but drilling remained suspended until now due to insufficient data on the field.
After NIDC has completed the first well, using the Shahid Rajaei rig, NIOC should be better able to assess gas volumes, Fakouri added