TEHRAN - Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji says the South Pars phase 13 Alpha platform is ready to start gas extraction, Shana reported.

Speaking on the sidelines of the weekly meeting of cabinet on Wednesday, June 11, Oji said gas extraction from the platform will start with five to six million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) and will rise to 21 or 22 mcm/d in the future.

The platform, which was damaged heavily due to hitting by a Bahraini commercial ship during the previous administration in office, has been repaired and renovated, now ready for gas extraction, Oji said. 

“This is the second platform starting operation in the South Pars gas field during the 13th administration", the minister said, adding “The issue of launching the platform was raised today in the cabinet meeting and we invited acting president Mohammad Mokhber to take part in its opening ceremony.”

Elsewhere in his remarks he said: up to now, we have managed to put an end to burning of 11.5 million cubic meters of associated gases per day while the installed facilities are ready to increase the figure by another 4.5 million cubic meters per day.

According to him, the Changuleh oil field development plan is ready for signing the contract and implementation by domestic investors and contractors.

With regard to the development of the second phase of the Yadavaran shared oil field, we decided not to wait for foreign companies and will start executive operations for its development next week, the Minister of Petroleum concluded.

South Pars gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, is estimated to contain a significant amount of natural gas, accounting for about eight percent of the world’s reserves, and approximately 18 billion barrels of condensate. The field is divided into 24 standard phases.

The huge offshore field covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which are in Iran’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers, called North Dome, are situated in Qatar’s territorial waters.

EF/