Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 28
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran has increased its daily gas output by 70 million cubic meters since the beginning of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 21).
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the ministry prioritizes improving gas consumption patterns by the household and the industrial sectors, Iran's Shana news agency reported on Dec. 28.
He added that revamping heating and cooling systems in houses and power plants are of high importance.
He also said that 10 percent rise in gas consumption by the household sector is one of the main concerns of the ministry, because it could be turned into a crisis over the next 10 years.
Despite a 32-percent increase in gas delivery to power plants in warm seasons, Iran expects this figure to decline by 3.5 times in fall and winter due to projected soar in housing gas consumption.
Iran's gas consumption level in winter is expected to surpass 450 mcmpd. Last winter, during some weeks, Iran's housing gas consumption reached about 500 mcmpd, which led to cutting gas delivery to power plants, petrochemical units, gas injection to old oil fields and industrial sector, due to gas shortage.