Speaking to Shana, Mohsen Paknejad, the deputy of production at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), said determining the exact time required for putting out the blaze depends on the well conditions and the methods adopted for carrying out the firefighting operations.

A fire broke out Sunday at the oilfield near the town of Omideih, some 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of the capital, Tehran, just days after another fatal fire at an oil refinery.

Initial reports put the number of casualties by the fire at oil rig No. 147 at two.

Paknejad said so far various relief and rescue teams have been deployed to contain the fire.

Operations to level the adjacent areas and launching of an ad hoc road for accessing the rig more conveniently and digging a water pool for dousing the fire are being considered by the rescue teams.

"We are working out various methods to containing the blaze as soon as possible," he added.

Early estimates said at least 30 to 40 days would be needed for smothering the fire.