TEHRAN – Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji has said the recovery of flare gases in the South Pars gas field is going to be increased to 17 million cubic meters (mcm) per day by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 19), IRNA reported.

Putting the current recovery level of flare gas in the mentioned field at 11 mcm per day, Oji said the figure is going to increase to 40 mcm per day by the end of the current government administration (August 2025).

According to Oji, the Oil Ministry requires $20 billion of investment to further its plans for the increase of production in the giant South Pars gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf.

Gas flaring is the process of burning the gas released through certain industrial processes, including oil extraction. In the past, when the demand for natural gas was low and, consequently, producers had little incentive to gather and sell it, it was generally – and more reasonably – dissipated through flaring.

Now, however, natural gas is known to be a valuable means of generating electricity and an important raw ingredient for the petrochemical industry. On the other hand, when released into the air, unrefined gas pollutes the atmosphere by releasing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, causing extensive environmental damage.

EF/MA