Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 23
By Dalga Khatinoglu – Trend:
The remaining phases of South Pars, Iran’s biggest gas field, have been developed by 70 percent to 90 percent, according to an official document prepared by the country's Oil Ministry and seen by Trend.
The document says that Iran fully completed phases 12, 15 and 16 during Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, started in mid-2013, while phase 17 and 18 work with half capacity.
By mid-2013, about 10 of 24 phases of South Pars with 240 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) production capacity were inaugurated. Currently, the production level of field stands at 400 mcm/d, about 40 mcm more than last fiscal year’s average (Iran’s fiscal year started on March 21).
The report says that phase 19 of South Pars also started gas production with half capacity recently.
“All of phases 13, 14, 17-24 are expected to become fully operational by March 2018, with only phase 11 remaining. After full implementation of 24 phases, the gas output of South Pars would reach above 800 mcm/d," said the report.
Iran, CNPCI and Total recently signed a heads of agreement to develop phase 11, which is expected to produce 50 mcm/d.
Iran is producing 737 mcm/d of gas and the volume is projected to increase to 1,250 mcm/d by 2021.
Iran with 34 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves ranks first in the world. South Pars is a joint field between Iran and Qatar. Iranian side’s reserves shares a half of the country’s total gas reserves.