“Total natural gas production amounted to 270 billion cubic meters in 2019 and is projected to reach 330 bcm in fiscal 2021,” Hassan Montazer-Torbati, was quoted as saying by ILNA.
Referring to ongoing operations in the giant South Pars Gas field, he said that phases 13 and 14 hook up operations, delayed due to problems created by the coronavirus, are being completed gradually and once operational, the two phases will add 30 million cubic meters of gas per day to gas output capacity.
Moreover, phases 22-24 will be fully operational by March 2021 and produce 30 mcm of gas.
According to the official, total gas production capacity reached 740 mcm/d in 2019, of which 600 mcm/d came from South Pars in the Persian Gulf and the rest (140 mcm/d) was produced by the Iranian Central Oil Fields.
Gas production capacity has now approached 830 mcm/d.
“Completion of phase 13 and 14 are in line with plans to raise daily natural gas output to at least 900 bcm in 2021.”
In addition to four platforms (A, B, C and D), phases 13 and 14 consist of 50 wells, eight pipelines stretching 90km as well as onshore facilities, including four gas refining units.
The phases will also produce 2,900 tons of liquefied petroleum gas, 2,750 tons of ethane, 75,000 barrels of ultra-light crude, also known as condensate, and 400 tons of sulfur.
SP is divided into 24 phases. Most of the phases are operational. The field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the strategic Persian Gulf, covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which (South Pars) are in Iran’s territorial waters. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers (North Dome) are in Qatar’s territorial waters.
Flare Gas
The NIGC chief noted that Iran has made progress in using flare gas either for power generation or as feed for refineries and petrochemical factories.
Since 2008 Iran has prevented the flaring of 12 billion cubic meters of associated petroleum gases, a source of global warming and a waste of valuable fuel.
“Close to $4.5 billion has been invested to collect associated petroleum gas in the last 12 years.”
According to ILNA and based on the National Iranian Oil Company data, daily gas flaring in 2017 was 50 million cubic meters. It dropped to less than 30 mcm/d in 2019.
An estimated 150 bcm of gas is wasted through flaring each year worldwide. This is the equivalent of $20 billion worth of gas.
Referring to gas exports to neighbors, he noted that the volume reached 75 mcm/d in July, of which 30 mcm/d was sent to Turkey and the balance to Iraq.
NIGC says it has invested $17 billion in natural gas infrastructure over the past seven years for completing the SP Gas Field phases and the Iran Gas Trunkline.