Iran produced 700 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of rich natural gas last Iranian calendar year, which ended March 20,2013, according to Ahmad Qalebani, managing director of National Iranian Oil Company.
The country expects to see production climb even further and hit 800 mcm/d by the end of the courth quarter of the current Iranian calendar.
Qalebani also noted that South Pars Gas Field is one of the major and key energy hubs in Iran, and a large portion of the gas produced in the country originates from this giant field. He added that the country’s plan to increase gas output this year include the inauguration of phases 15 and 16 of the South Pars Gas Field and part of the gas sweetening facilities of phase 17, in addition to launching one train of phase 12.
The South Pars is divided into 28 phases, and is part of a larger gas field which is shared with Qatar. It holds about 14 trillion cubic meters of gas, or about eight percent of the total world reserves, and more than 18 billion barrels of liquefied natural gas resources.
The Iranian part of the field covers an area of 3,700 square kilometres.
According to Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi, five phases of the South Pars Gas Field will come on stream in early September despite US-engineered sanctions against Iran over its nuclear energy program.
Qasemi announced on July 5 that a large proportion of equipment required for the development of 17 phases of the giant gas field is now being supplied by domestic manufacturers.
