TEHRAN – Managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), which is in charge of developing Iran’s giant South Pars gas field, says the coronavirus pandemic is not going to interfere with the field’s development projects, Shana reported.

Mohammad Meshkinfam made the remarks in a visit to the Assalouyeh and Kangan onshore operational sites in the southwestern Bushehr Province.

The official noted that the operations in the South Pars projects have been started since April 11, in full compliance with safety and healthcare standards.

“The coronavirus outbreak should not interrupt the progress in any of the South Pars development projects,” he stressed.

Meshkinfam stressed the need for managing the operations so that simultaneously prevent the spread of COVID-19 and continue the project operations.

“In this regard, we have reduced the number of workers and staff in less sensitive projects,” he added.

As one of the world’s biggest gas reserves, South Pars gas field covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which, called South Pars, are in Iran’s territorial waters. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers, called North Dome, are situated in Qatar’s territorial waters.

The field 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.

South Pars is divided into 24 standard phases of development in the first stage. All of the phases except for the phase 11 are operational at the moment.

EF/MA