Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 10
By Dalga Khatinoglu – Trend:
Iran has prioritized development of Tous gas field, the second upstream gas project after Khangiran in the country’s north-eastern part.
The decision comes 10 days after Turkmenistan cut gas flow to Iran.
Astan Quds Razavi Holding would develop Tous field, Mohammad Mam Beigi, the managing director of East Oil & Gas Production Co., told IRNA Jan. 10.
Tous’ reserve contains 60 billion cubic meters (bcm) of sour gas and Iran projects to produce 4 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of gas from the field, he said.
Mam Beigi didn’t mention when Astan Quds Razavi Holding would start developing the field, but he said the company has finished the study of reserve according to a memorandum of understanding.
Currently, only Khangiran field in northeast of Iran is operating with nearly 48 mcm/d of gas production.
Turkmenistan cut gas flow to Iran on January 1 due to a dispute over gas price and violation of take-or-pay term of the sides’ agreement.
Iran doubled gas import from Turkmenistan in 2015 to 9 bcm, but according to the agreement, it should have imported 14 bcm. During a period from 2006 to 2016, Iran imported about 74.35 bcm of Turkmen gas, the official statistics of Iran’s Oil Ministry indicates. But based on the agreement, which was amended in 2007 and came into force in 2010, Iran should have imported 130 bcm of Turkmen gas.