TEHRAN – National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) and all its subsidiaries have been working in the past few months to ensure the sustained supply of gas during the cold season.

Having the biggest network in the region, Iran is one of the leading countries in terms of gas accessibility, and in this regard, making sure that this access stays uninterrupted during the pick consumption periods is a top priority for NIGC.

To this end, every year NIGC makes the necessary preparations in production, transmission, and distribution sectors for the winter from months before; that is in addition to conducting a comprehensive annual overhaul, the company implements various programs to further develop the network and improve its services.

Production, consumption, and transmission

Iran’s daily natural gas production currently stands at about 810 million cubic meters (mcm) per day and during the winter (begins on December 21) the daily consumption in the country rises to more than 600 mcm which considering the country’s obligations for exporting to some of the neighboring countries, the gas industry must be in its best condition for passing through the mentioned period without any disruptions.

Back in January (last Iranian calendar year’s winter), daily gas consumption hit a record high of 592 mcm a day due to heavy snowfall and cold weather that blanketed the country.

This year, however, considering the increase in the South Pars gas field’s output and also the rise in the national network’s transmission capacity, the condition would be better than the last year.

In early May, National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC)’s former Dispatching Director Mehdi Jamshidi-Dana announced that the transmission capacity of the national gas network had increased to one billion cubic meters per day (bcm/d).

Jamshidi-Dana mentioned the South Pars gas field’s new platforms going operational in the current year and noted that with the increase of the national gas network’s capacity the new production capacity from the South Pars platforms won’t be idle.

“The country’s [natural] gas production capacity is going to be increased to one billion cubic meters per day and now the national network is capable of transmitting this capacity,” he said.

Overhaul and storage

As mentioned above, one of the major steps that the NIGC takes for ensuring sustainable gas supply during the winter is conducting an annual overhaul program for fixing the country’s gas refineries to make sure that all of them would be operating on their highest capacity, while filling the country’s gas storages to be used in emergency situations.

Earlier on Monday, NIGC Managing Director Hassan Montazer Torbati said that his company has prepared a specific program in three phases, including refinery overhaul, pipelines repairs, and filling storages to ensure the smooth passing through the winter pick consumption period.

South Pars Gas Company (SPGC) conducts the overhaul program for the refineries of the South Pars gas complex which accounts for 90 percent of the country’s gas supply, Iranian Gas Transmission Company (IGTC) is in charge of repairing the national gas network, while the NIGC itself supervises the storage facilities.

Earlier this week, the Head of SPGC Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that the annual overhaul program for the complex’ refineries are underway on schedule and the complex will be ready for sustainable gas supply during the cold season.

“Despite the sensitivity of the overhaul this year due to the outbreak of coronavirus, the repairs are being done according to the plan and all the refineries of the complex will be ready for production at full capacity in winter,” Mohammad Masoudnia told ISNA.

Saeed Tavakoli, IGTC’s managing director has also said his company is completely prepared for sustainable gas supply throughout the country during winter.

The official said that besides repairing several gas pipelines across the country, his company has carried out other measures in order to ensure sustainable and secure gas supply during winter.

Regarding the gas storage, NIGC Head Torbati said on Monday that the company has managed to store even 32 percent more than what was planned and these reserves can be very helpful during the peak consumption periods.

EF/MA