A $143 Mln contract has been signed with a Chinese company to buy an offshore drilling rig, disclosed managing director of North Drilling Co. (NDC) Hedayatollah Khademi.

According to the news agency of Iran's oil ministry, Khademi added: "Based on this contract, CPTDC-a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC)- will deliver a drilling rig to NDC over the next 8 months. The rig will be prepared to start drilling oil and gas wells in the Persian Gulf as of end of 2010."

About Iran talks to another Chinese company to finalize the order to construct 2 other offshore drilling rigs (Jack up), Khademi said: "For this purpose, NDC had held a tender and a Chinese company was selected as the winner. However, since that company has faced problems constructing the rigs, CPTDC is foreseen to be asked for assistance." 

All these three offshore rigs are supposed to be at service by the end of 2010.