TEHRAN- Head of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)’s Dispatching Department said the company has it on the agenda to export 70 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of natural gas during the cold season, Shana reported.

Referring to the plan for injecting a maximum of 820 mcm/d of gas into the national network in the winter, Mohammadreza Jolaei said: "Of this figure, about 600 million cubic meters per day will be allocated to the domestic sector and 70 million cubic meters is for exports."

Jolaei stated that currently 700 mcm of sweet gas is produced in the country, of which about 300 mcm is consumed in the domestic sector, adding that due to the temperature decline in most parts of the country, the consumption has increased by 120 mcm compared to the last week.

He pointed out that the annual overhaul of the country's gas refineries will be completed by the end of the current Iranian calendar month (October 21), adding: "With the end of the repairs, we will reach maximum gas production."

The official noted that the outbreak of the coronavirus across the country increased the country’s gas consumption by about 30 percent during the summer and it is expected to impact the consumption also during the winter.

He also mentioned a program for the optimization of the household engine rooms across the country and said that implementing this plan is expected to reduce gas consumption by about 10 percent which could help the NIGC to fulfill its export obligations.

Back in August, Jolaei had announced that Iran’s daily gas exports hit a record high of 79 mcm during the Iranian calendar month of Tir (June 21-July 21).

“Iran's gas exports to other countries had never reached 70 million cubic meters per day, but in Tir, a new record was set and [the exports] reached 79 million cubic meters per day,” Shana quoted Jolaei as saying.

EF/MA