TEHRAN – The acting head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Health, Safety and Environment Department (HSE) has said with the development of the gas supply network in the country, the emission of 164 million tons of air pollutants and greenhouse gases has been prevented, Shana reported.

“Gas supply to rural areas has a significant impact on preserving the environment and reducing fossil fuel consumption,” Jalal Nour-Mousavi said on the sidelines of the 20th International Environmental Exhibition on Sunday.

“With the expansion of the gas network in the country, especially in rural areas, the cutting of trees has been significantly prevented and the use of diesel fuel has also been reduced,” the official added.

He also appreciated a recent directive by the oil minister to facilitate the implementation of environmental projects in the South Pars region in order to reduce SO2 emissions and gas flaring.

Back in October, the former head of NIGC’s HSE department Gholamreza Bahman-Nia said his company was following a comprehensive plan for reducing gas flaring in South Pars refineries by 2,344 million cubic meters (mcm) in two years.

“Reducing the release of pollutants has always been one of the main approaches of the National Iranian Gas Company and its subsidiaries in order to protect the environment, and so far, many programs and measures have been carried out in this regard,” Bahman-Nia told Shana.

Stating that NIGC’s plan is divided into three major sections, the official clarified: “Reduction of gas flaring, reduction of sulfur oxides emission and additional treatment of wastewater are the three main programs for which several projects have been defined.”

According to Bahman-Nia, NIGC’s projects are mainly focused on reducing flare gases and the emission of sulfur oxides.

The 20th International Environment Exhibition kicked off on Sunday at the Tehran International Fairgrounds and will end on November 23.

EF/MA