Tehran, Iran, Jun. 9
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iran may transfer its gas storage facilities to domestic and foreign companies.
Iran's Natural Gas Storage Company's Managing Director Masoud Samivand said on June 9 that Russia's Gazprom Company is one of the firms that has declared its readiness to carry out projects related to storing gas, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported.
"Iran prefers to sign BOT (build-Operate-Transfer) contracts in this sector," he explained.
He went on to note that Iran is currently working with experts from three European countries in order to construct more gas storage facilities in the country.
Iran plans to increase its gas storage capacity by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21.
Iranian oil minister has ordered the relevant bodies to do their best to achieve the goal, Iran's IRIB News Agency reported on April 20.
Currently, only Sarajeh gas storage facility is active in Iran.
Samivand said on May 20 that the Sarajeh gas storage facility pumped over 662 million cubic meters of gas to the national gas network in winter.
"Currently 375 million cubic meters of gas is being stored in the facility," he said.
"The country saves some $350 million by storing gas in the facility and pumping it to the national gas network in the cold months," Samivand explained.
Shoorijeh gas storage facility is expected to come on stream by the end of the current year.
The Shoorijeh gas storage facility, located at the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi, has the capacity to store 4.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Iran will store extracted gas from the joint gas fields, especially from the giant South Pars field, in the facility.
Once the facility comes on stream Iran becomes one of the world's top five countries in terms of gas storage facilities. Currently, Iran holds 19th place among the world countries.
"The project will come on stream at the cost of two trillion rials (some $163.1 million based on the official USD rate and $66.6 million based on the free market's price) which is 10 percent less than the anticipated figure," Samivand added.
Iran will also become the Middle East's biggest owner of gas storage facilities.
Samivand said on Feb. 21 that based on global standards, Iran needs to store around 10 to 15 percent of its total consumption which is equal to 15 billion cubic meters.
"It is while the country's gas storage capacity is currently around 1.3 billion cubic meters," he added.