Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 19
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran's compressed natural gas (CNG) consumption surpassed 4.5 billion cubic meters in the first nine months of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 21-Dec. 22, 2014), Hassan Montazer Torbati, an official with the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said.
Montazer Torbati said that on average 20 million cubic meters of CNG is delivered to CNG stations on a daily bases currently which leads to a reduction in gasoline consumption by an equal amount, the oil ministry's official SHANA news agency reported Jan. 19.
The Islamic Republic's total CNG consumption was around five million liters in the Iranian calendar year of 1381 (ended March 20, 2003), but the figure reached seven billion in the calendar year of 1391 (ended March 20, 2013).
Using CNG, which leads to a decrease in gasoline consumption, is more economical for Iran, Montazer Torbati said, adding it also helps reduce air pollution in big cities.
Tehran province ranked first with 608 million cubic meters of CNG consumed during the 9-month period, followed by Khorasan Razavi with 476 million cubic meters, East Azerbaijan with 428 million cubic meters, Fars with 331 million cubic meters and west Azerbaijan province with 319 million cubic meters of CNG consumed, Montazer Torbati said.
Earlier, Naser Sajjadi, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, said CNG consumption has dropped in the country compared to the past two years due to its price, which is almost equal to the price of gasoline.
CNG is currently sold at the price of 4,500 rials (about 16 cent based on official rate of 27,400 rials/USD) per cubic meters.
There are over 3.7 million cars in Iran running on CNG.
Some 90 percent of the major cities' taxis, as well as 60 percent of the vehicles used in the public transportation sector, are currently using CNG.
With 17 million cars, Iran has 5,000 gas stations, while neighboring Turkey with 9 million cars has 12,800 gas stations.
There are also over 2,200 CNG stations across the country.
Edited by CN
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