Azerbaijan, Baku, Jul.11/ Trend D.Khatinoglu/
Iranian deputy of oil minister said the West's sanctions against Iran's oil sector, especially the withdrawal of foreign energy companies from Iran, have not stopped the progress of the country's oil industry, Mehr News Agency reported
Ahmad Ghalebani who serves as both managing director of the National Iranian oil Co (NIOC) and deputy oil minister, said during a conference about Iran's up-stream oil industry held in Tehran on Wednesday that Iran with its 155 billion barrel oil reserves and 35 trillion cubic meters of gas deposits progresses increasingly.
He said that since the discovery of oil in Iran 100 years ago, the country has extracted 22 per cent of its oil reserves.
Ghalebani added that the development of 17 phases in Iran's giant gas field South Pars is underway simultaneously.
Iran's top oil official's statement about progress in the country's oil and gas projects contrasts with international credible organisations' reports.
According to OPEC's last monthly report, Iran's oil production has decreased from 3.9 mbpd in 2005 to 3.143 mbpd in May 2012. The International Energy Agency estimated Iran's oil export would drop by 40 per cent in the second half of the current year because of imposed western sanctions.
The U.S. and EU have adopted tight sanctions against Iran's oil export and the Central Bank of Iran respectively from June 28 and July 1.
According to Reuters Tuesday report based on several Iranian officials and western experts who talked anonymously, Iran's oil exports dropped from 2.3 mbpd to 1.2 mbpd during last seven months. according this report, Iran's oil output in July increased to below 3 mbpd.
The joint South Pars gas field between Iran and Qatar where its Iranian sector has been divided into 29 phases, with 14 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves has not been developed significantly.
Eight phases of that field became operational until 2009 and Phases 9 and 10 were inaugurated early with a 75 per cent of full capacity production. Iran hasn't been able to complete the six remaining gas wells in Phases 9 and 10 since 2009.