TEHRAN - Head of National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) has said with the implementation of new overhaul operations at the company’s gas infrastructure, over 10 million cubic meters (mcm) has been added to the country’s daily gas supply capacity.

According to the official, the overhaul operation of the LNG 1000 gas complex was carried out by NISOC experts over the course of 45 days to make the complex ready for the winter peak consumption period, IRNA reported.

Natural gas consumption in Iran surges every year during the cold season and the Oil Ministry along with its subsidiaries including the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) take the necessary measures to ensure a sustained supply of gas during the winter.

Renovation of important and vital parts and equipment of gas refineries and complexes is one of the important priorities in this regard that is carried out in major gas-rich regions every year.

This year, the country’s gas consumption in the domestic and commercial sectors is predicted to reach 650 mcm per day in the first month of the winter (Dec. 22, 2022-Jan. 20, 2023), the head of the state-run National Iranian Gas Company’s Dispatching Department said.

“Currently, an average of 600 mcm of gas are consumed daily in the domestic and commercial sectors. According to the forecast of Iran Meteorological Organization, the temperature will decrease in January, which will lead to the rise in gas consumption by households, offices and businesses that use the fuel for heating purposes,” Mohammadreza Jolaei was also quoted as saying by IRNA.

“The current gas consumption has increased by 60 mcm per day compared with the same period of last year,” he added.

During the previous year’s cold season, despite the unprecedented increase in natural gas consumption in the country, the gas industry was able to register a record high in terms of gas supply during the peak consumption period.

The consumption of natural gas by the domestic and commercial sectors reached 662 mcm in January to register a new record high in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

NIGC and all its subsidiaries were seriously working a few months before the winter to ensure the sustained supply of gas during the cold season.

With a nominal capacity of over 1,000 mcm, Iran is currently producing over 810 mcm of natural gas on a daily basis which is mostly used inside the country for the domestic sector and also as fuel for the power plants and a small portion is also exported to neighboring countries like Iraq.

Currently, about 30,000 villages with 4.6 million households as well as 1,148 cities with over 18 million households are connected to the national gas network in Iran.

EF/MA