BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
The National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) will implement three projects to collect 36 million cubic feet (about 1.02 million cubic meters) of flare gas daily, an official of the NISOC Mohammad Reza Naderi said, Trend reports citing the company’s website.
Naderi noted that within the projects, daily 12 million cubic feet (about 340,000 cubic meters) of flare gas will be collected from the Marun 3 oil reservoir, 10 million cubic feet (about 283,000 cubic meters) from the Mansouri field and 14 million cubic feet (about 396,000 cubic meters) from the Marun 6 oil reservoir. And the collected flare gas will be sold to the private sector.
“As a result, the release of about 22,000 tons of sulfur oxides, 1.5 tons of nitrogen oxides and 1.5 million tons of greenhouse gases into the environment will be prevented,” he added.
The official stressed that the term of the contract in connection with the sale of flare gas to the private sector is 5 years.
As reported, flare gas pollutes the environment. However, this gas can be used as a fuel in the production of petrochemicals.
Daily 672 million cubic feet (about 19 million cubic meters) of flare gas is collected in the territory of the NISOC in cooperation with private companies.
The National Iranian South Oil Company, a subordinate of National Iranian Oil Company, operates 45 large and small hydrocarbon deposits in an area of 400,000 square kilometers from Iran's Bushehr Province to the north of Khuzestan Province.
The company extracts about 80 percent of Iran's crude oil and 16 percent of gas. The company reportedly extracts about 3 million barrels of oil per day.
There are currently 74 oil and 22 gas fields in Iran. So, 37 oil fields are operating in the territory of the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), 14 fields – Iranian Central Oil Fields Company (ICOFC), 5 fields – Arvandan Oil and Gas Company (AOGC), and 18 oil fields – Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC).
In addition, 5 gas fields are operating in the territory of the NISOC, 13 fields – the ICOFC, 1 field – Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), and 3 gas fields – the IOOC.
Iran’s total hydrocarbon reserves are estimated at 836 billion barrels. With available technology and equipment, Iran can extract 239 billion barrels. Thus, 29 percent of the country's hydrocarbon reserves are recoverable, while 71 percent remain underground.