TEHRAN – The consumption of natural gas by Iranian domestic and commercial sectors reached 517 million cubic meters (mcm) on Tuesday to register a 22-percent increase year on year, according to Oil Minister Javad Oji.

Speaking to the national TV on Tuesday evening, Oji noted that the ministry has been forced to limit gas supply to some industries including cement and petrochemical production units in order to compensate for the gap between production and demand.

According to the minister, the natural gas supply to such industrial units has been replaced with liquid fuel to prevent any disruption in their normal operations, Shana reported.

Noting that a tariff increase for high-consuming gas subscribers is on the agenda, Oji added: "Undoubtedly, those high-consuming subscribers who are consuming natural gas out of the normal consumption patterns must pay the price for their over-consuming."

He noted that the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) has also started a program for monitoring the consumption by government entities and the high consumers will face penalties.

“[under the framework of the mentioned program] so far, more than 14,000 visits have been made [to government entities], and in these visits, 1,428 units have been warned and the gas supply to 124 high-consuming entities has been cut off,” Oji said.

Furthermore, the Head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Dispatching Department Mohammadreza Jolaei also said on Tuesday that the country’s gas consumption in various sectors reached 748 mcm over the past 24 hours.

“Over the last 24 hours, natural gas consumption by the domestic, commercial, and non-major industries stood at 521 million cubic meters, while the consumption by major industries was 129 million cubic meters and the power plants consumed 98 million cubic meters,” Jolaei said.

Earlier on Monday, the Head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)’s Production Coordination and Supervision Management Ahmad Zamani also said that the consumption of natural gas in the country had exceeded the current production levels.

Speaking to the national TV, Zamani called on various sectors to manage their consumption during the cold season’s peak consumption period.

“Considering the recent reduction in temperature, people should put consumption management and optimal use of heating appliances on their agenda, because only by observing the optimal consumption patterns we can reduce the gap between production and consumption and get through this early winter,” the official said.

Earlier this month, Iranian Gas Transmission Company (IGTC)’s Managing Director Mehdi Jamshidi Dana said his company is completely prepared for sustainable gas supply throughout the country during winter.

He said major overhaul operations have been carried out for pressure boosting facilities, pipeline operation centers, and smart monitoring stations, while timely periodic visits have also been done to ensure sustainable and secure gas supply to Iranian subscribers in the country during winter.

Stating that the company has taken all the necessary measures for the sustained transmission of gas during the winter, Jamshidi Dana said: "Due to the increase in the amount of gas consumption at peak periods, all operational areas are ready to operate at maximum capacity and spare units are also prepared to ensure the stability of gas transmission and to avoid any disruption."

The official further called on the people to manage their consumption during the peak periods to help the national Iranian Gas Company and IGTC to maintain gas supply during the cold season.

EF/MA

Highlight: NIGC has started a program for monitoring consumption by government entities