Rosneft's Vietnamese subsidiary has started drilling an exploration well off the south coast of Vietnam, the company said on March 9.

It is Rosneft's first individual international offshore drilling project as an operator, Russia’s largest oil producer said in a statement.

After the completion of the PLDD-1X well at Block 06.1, Rosneft will drill another exploration well in Block 05.3/11, also in the Nam Con Son Basin, in the Vietnamese waters, the company said.

“I am sure that the experience gained in Vietnam will be used by the company not only in its activity in the southern seas,” Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin said in a statement, adding it would help with planning and implementing upstream projects in remote areas.

Rosneft also has oil-producing assets in Venezuela and Canada and exploration prospects in several other countries.