Zanganeh: South Pars development tops gov't agenda

Zanganeh: South Pars development tops gov\'t agenda

Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said development of the South Pars offshore gas field is a top priority for the government and his ministry.

Development of the field is an unparalleled achievement by the oil industry and the Islamic Republic," said Zanganeh, adding because of the backwardness of the projects in recent years, "we decided to develop 17 remaining phases as a top priority," Shana reported on Tuesday.

He said phases 15 and 16 of the field were already productive before their official inauguration, because, "we decided not to officially launch any projects until they are fully operational and all their units have come on-stream," he said.

The official said phases 18 and 17 of the gas field are producing natural gas and are feeding the national gas distribution network.

He said the two phases will be officially inaugurated by mid-2016, saying, "We would have launched 4 South Pars phases including phases 19, 20 and 21 had it not been for financial shortcomings; the phases will come on stream next year."

Zanganeh said the Oil Ministry plans to launch the last 10 phases of the gas field, phase 14 excluded, before Rouhani leaves office in 2017 which would require an investment of $30 billion.

"We could launch new phases and raise the country's gas output under the worst conditions caused by the sanctions and declining oil prices during the Rouhani government."

In 2013, 45 percent of the fuel consumed by power plants across the country were supplied with liquid fuel the percentage of which fell to 27 for 2014 and to 17 in 2015.

 

Oil output

 

Zanganeh said the country is boosting crude oil production capacity which will raise exports as well.

He named development of West Karoun oilfields as a top priority of the Oil Ministry, saying that production from the fields will rise from 60,000 bpd in 2013 to over 300,000 bpd by 2017.

 

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