Iran and an international consortium led by the French energy giant Total SA has signed the agreement in principle to develop phase 11 of the giant South Pars gas field.

The 4.8 billion-dollar deal signed under the Islamic Republic’s new oil-contract framework is the first major agreement reached between Tehran and foreign energy companies following the implementation of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Present at the signing ceremony were Iran’s Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh, Ali Kardor Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) as well as Stéphane Michel Total’s Senior Vice President Middle East and North Africa and also Zhou Zhang Ting from China‘s National Petroleum Corporation Middle East office.

The South Pars field, which is shared by Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf, contains 14,000 billion cubic meters of gas, 8% of the world’s known reserves.

Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field has the capacity to produce two billion cubic feet of natural gas every day.

The production is expected to be started in 40 months following finalization of the deal.

The final agreement is expected to be signed in early 2017.

Iran will sign a deal with France‘s Total today for the development of gas production at a major offshore field in the Persian Gulf, the Iranian Oil Ministry said.

The Heads of Agreement (HOA) for the development of Phase 11 of the important South Pars field is worth $6 billion (5.4 billion euros), a ministry spokesman told AFP.

The accord must be finalized within six months, the spokesman added.

The agreement involves a consortium led by Total, which includes the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Iran’s Petropars.

The deal marks the return of Total to Iran.

It’s also the first such agreement between Iran and a Western petroleum company after a nuclear deal with world powers took effect in January, lifting some international sanctions.

The offshore South Pars field, shared by Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf, contains some 14,000 billion cubic meters of gas – 8 percent of the world’s known reserves.

Iran set to award major gas deal to Total

An official from Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum told AFP that the agreement will be signed on Tuesday (8 November 2016) over the development of South Pars Phase 11 – the same project over which the French major was negotiating with Iran before the US-led sanctions drove it out of the country in 2012.

The accord must be finalized within six months, added the official who has been identified as a spokesman of Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum.

The deal marks the return of Total to Iran. It is also the first such agreement between Iran and a Western petroleum company after a nuclear deal with world powers took effect in January, lifting some international sanctions, AFP added.

Total’s negotiations with NIOC over the development of Phase 11 also included the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in what was expected to become Iran’s first such project named Pars LNG. The project, however, was abandoned after the French energy giant had to quit Iran after the sanctions against Iran were intensified. It is still not clear whether the same LNG scheme will be again put on the agenda for the development of Phase 11.

Iranian oil minister has announced that the country’s crude production will rise to 4.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in the current Iranian calendar year (began March 20).

Speaking at the second oil and energy congress in Tehran, Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh described priorities of the industry in the post-JCPOA era adding “crude production capacity of Iran will hit four million barrels per day in the present year while the overall figure, including gas condensate, will exceed 4.5 million bpd.”

“Production capacity for gas condensate will also reach about 688 thousand barrels a day,” highlighted the Iranian minister estimating that the figure will hit one million bpd by 2018 upon implementation of new South Pars phases.”

Iran’s gas output will be increased to approximately 900 million cubic meters per day by the end of the current year

The member of the Iran cabinet noted that gas output will be increased to approximately 900 million cubic meters per day by the end of the current year; “on the basis of developmental plans in gas industry, the production capacity is expected to go over one billion cubic meters by the end of the upcoming year.”

Iran oil industry investment plan

Zanganeh further touched upon the plans to attract investment in oil industry explaining “the Sixth National Development Plan requires that 134 billion dollars of financial resources be absorbed in the upstream petroleum sector.”

He pointed to the plan to attracting around 52 billion dollars of financial resources in petrochemical industries recalling “a 15-billion-dollar investment has been envisaged for expansion of Iran’s refinery industry while an aggregate total of about 200 billion dollars need to be attracted to the country’s oil, gas and petrochemical industries.”

Oil Minister Zanganeh went on to enumerate three top developmental priorities of oil industry including expansion of South Pars gas field, development of West Karun joint fields as well as increasing recovery factor; “Phases 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of South Pars will come on stream in the present year and Iran’s daily production volume will equal that of Qatar in the coming year.”

Developmental contract for Phase 11 of South Pars

“A developmental contract for Phase 11 of South Pars will also be inked in the coming months,” stressed the oil official underscoring that the country’s overall gas production capacity will reach more than one billion cubic liters in the year to follow.”

Zanganeh said gas supply to villages, increased exports and development of LNG sector remain as three strategic aims pursued in the Iranian gas industry; “the share of oil products in the feedstuff of Iranian power plants has declined from 18 per cent a year ago to less than 10 per cent in the current year.”

Iran Petrochemical production

“Petrochemical production will rise by five million tons in coming months,” emphasized the official saying “in time with development of downstream sector, oil production will begin form oil layers of South Pars field for the first time ever.”

“A developmental contract for the second phase of South Pars as well as an agreement to increase recovery factor of the joint field will be sealed in the ongoing year.”

Oil minister of Iran reiterated that “given the increased share of gas in the country’s energy basket, Iran has turned into a major exporter of oil products as a daily average of approximately 20 million liters of gas oil is being deployed to global markets.”

Referring to operation of the first phase of Setare Khalij Fars Gas Condensates Refinery and the halt in gasoline imports as of the next year, Bijan Zanganeh concluded “Iran’s oil refining capacity will soar to more than three million barrels per day by the end of the Sixth National Development Plan.”

Global energy giant Royal Dutch energy giant Shell has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Petrochemical Company of Iran (NPC) for cooperation in the petrochemical industry.

The MoU was signed by NPC CEO Marziyeh Shahdaei and Hans Nijkamp, the head of the department for Iran affairs at Royal Dutch Shell.

Nijkamp was quoted by the media as saying that the signing of the MOU came after months of negotiations between the two companies.

Iran’s deputy petroleum minister for international affairs, expressed optimism that petrochemical projects between Shell and the NPC would be launched

“We believe that we can have joint projects in the petrochemical field with the NPC,” he said.

“This document will provide us with a framework for more project discussions with the NPC.”

Shahdaei, for her part, emphasize that the NPC has serious plans to increase its production to 160 million tons per year by 2025 from the current volume of 60 million tons per year.

Also, Amir-Hossein Zamaninia, Iran’s deputy petroleum minister for international affairs, expressed optimism that petrochemical projects between Shell and the NPC would be launched soon.

“With the wisdom that we see in the people working in our country’s petrochemical industry, without a doubt the projects of the NPC will be executed sooner than oil and gas projects,” he said, according to Shana.

The company was involved in the development of Iran’s Soroush and Norouz oil fields in Persian Gulf waters. It was also planning to develop a gas liquefaction project called Persian LNG in Iran’s South Pars energy zone. However, it later cancelled its plans to that effect as a result of the sanctions.

Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company Ali Kardor said on Monday that NIOC has been able to achieve the target of four million bpd output in the wake of lifting the sanctions.

He made the remarks in his speech to a group of the Petroleum Ministry officials.

Kardor said that Iran has been able to maintain its 14 percent quota in OPEC.

Let’s not forget that the rivals go on pumping oil and gas quickly, so Iran should not lag behind in producing oil and gas, Kardor said.

He said that Iran has also been able to raise its oil selling capacity to four million barrels.

‘Our oil production capacity should reach 5.2 or 5.7 million bpd.’

Kardor said Iran has over the past 11 years, embarked on horizontal drilling in South Pars layer for three times and only 700 meters were drilled due to lack of necessary technology. ‘Qatar, however, drilled 12 kms in joint oil layer horizontally and exploited 340,000 bpd oil.’

‘We should update our technology and regain our rights in the joint fields; Any claim that incentives will be given to the foreign executives is wrong. We do not accept it at all because as far as oil contracts are concerned, we will notify the foreign contractors of all our terms and conditions. Now, we should do something to make other countries dependent on us because a country like Saudi Arabia has a close watch on Iranian oil talks and contracts with other countries. Also, Saudi officials give highest amount of discount to foreign customers in a bid to create problems to Iranian oil industry. We should take back our part in the oil industry and support our oil and gas development with all might because we are progressive in economy. We have been able to improve the country’s economic growth with that amount of oil exports. The new model of oil contracts gives less than 8.2 percent share to foreigners and the remaining 92 percent of the privileges belongs to Iran government.’

NIGEC managing director said Iran is likely to hire existing pipelines to conduct gas exports to the European market.

While construction and operation of LNG production projects in southern Iran remains as one major route for exports of gas to the European Union member states, pipelines still mark one possible scenario for gas exports to European countries.

In the current situation and given the sharp decline in crude oil and gas prices, particularly in the European market, construction of pipelines as long as five thousand kilometers lacks economic justification for Iran.

In the meantime, Iran has recently unveiled a third scenario for gas exports to Europe by introducing a plan to use the existing gas pipeline capacity in Europe in order to transfer Iranian gas produced at South Pars joint field.

Managing Director of National Iranian Gas Exports Company (NIGEC) Alireza Kameli said each project requires a cost and benefit analysis to certify its profitability; “in view of the currently low gas prices and high transfer costs, pipeline construction would not be economically justifiable.”

The official said new routes to deliver gas to Europe are being sought and identified one of already existing pipelines in the region being exploited.

“The project might become operational with lower transport costs since it only requires construction of shorter pipeline routes,” underlined Kameli concluding “several options to enter Europe’s gas market are being reviewed the results of which will be announced upon completion.”

Following the implementation of new South Pars phases and the consequent rise in the country’s gas production capacity, Iran pursues development of its gas trade volume as a top priority.

Iran’s Tasdid Offshore Development Company (TODC) signed the deal on Sunday which envisages the construction of the drilling rigs over a two-year period in the port city of Khorramshahr, the company’s Managing Director Ehsanollah Mousavi said, reported Press TV.

The project will be financed jointly by Russia and Iran, and put the Islamic Republic among the countries capable of building drilling rigs.

“According to the timetable, domestic share in the construction of the first drilling rig will be 58 percent. This will gradually rise during the implementation of the project as technology transfer into the country takes place,” Mousavi said.

Krasnye Barrikady officials said earlier that Iran will soon make a 15-percent down payment on the $200 million price of the first rig.

The agreement, signed by Mousavi and Krasnye Barrikady CEO Alexander Ilyichev, added a fresh momentum to Iran’s oil and gas development projects, including its massive South Pars scheme.

Iran is developing the South Pars field which the country shares with Qatar in several phases, with US-led sanctions forcing the country to rely on its own capabilities to implement the megaproject.

“When South Pars started, nobody imagined Iran could enter the field of building oil equipment including platforms, installation of offshore pipelines and constructing jackets. But today, Iran has attained these capabilities.

“With the signing of this deal today, Iran’s dream of building jack-ups has also been realized,” Mousavi said.

A POGC official has reported on the signing of a contract with a French firm for conducting pressure drop studies in South Pars joint gas field.

Director of Engineering and Construction at Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) Mohammad Meshkinfam described the plans to prevent pressure loss in South Pars phases saying “at the present time, the main strategy is to install gas compressor stations in the joint gas field.”

He said the second phase of gas compressor plans can be implemented only after new phases become operation asserting “pressurizing gas proves to be a more complicated process than building and running new phases.”

“Each gas South Pars platform capable of producing one billion cubic meters weighs about 1500 to 2000 tons,” underlined the official stressing that gas compression facilities to be set up in the field would nearly weight 20 thousand tons.

In other words, gas compression stations are approximately ten times heavier than existing platforms, underscored the official stating “a contract has been inked with a French company to complete the study phase of the huge project.”

Meshkinfam underlined that the second consultation agreement will soon be sealed with an international company; “preliminary study phases are expected to last for around six months.”

The POGC official said the best strategy for construction and implementation of gas compression facilities will be chosen once the studies have been carried out.

Mohammad Meshkinfam said the tenders for the project will be invited within the next two years reiterating “the tenders will be put in while prioritizing phases which have experienced pressure loss.” /MNA

A great part of commercial exchanges around the world is carried out by ships. Ports are connections between production and distribution networks that have turned coastal cities like Bushehr into places with economic and strategic dynamics.

By Shahriar Azimi & Parvin Ebrahimi - 2018, PressTv

The port of Bushehr is located in 28,58 N and 50, 50 E in the north end of a peninsula on the coast of the Persian Gulf. This peninsula is 14 Km long. The depth of water is near to 7m in the external anchorage leading to internal anchorage by the external channel 9200m in length and from the internal anchorage to Khor Soltani, Bushehr berth and then to Khor Booder by the internal channel 3900m in length. The channel is 140m in average width.
Climate in Bushehr Port

Climate in Bushehr Port
Bushehr port has got a semi-tropical climate with very hot and humid Summer and temperate Winter. The seasonal South Western winds blow on Bushehr sea from the beginning of June to the end of October but they rarely reach the harbor. The seasonal North Eastern winds blow on Bushehr sea and sometimes very strongly on the land from the end of December to the beginning of May.
The power of North Wind usually reaches to 6 in Beaufort scale, but it may rarely border on 8.
The average power of Wind in Winter is 4 in Beaufort scale
The temperature range during summer is +35 to +40 degrees centigrade, whereas it mat border on +2 degrees centigrade in Winter.
The humidity range during Winter is %40 to %80 and %30 to %99 in Summer.

TIDAL RANGE
The ebb and tide in Bushehr port is diurnal. The tidal range differs from 1 m to 1.6 m.
The highest tide may reach to 2 m and the lowest ebb may border on .7 m. The speed of water current in the internal channel and Khore Soltani may reach to 2-3 knots in ebb and flow conditions
The maximum height of the wave in the external anchorage is almost 1.5 m and .6 in the internal anchorage. Services

ROAD SERVICES

The port of Bushehr is connected to neighboring cities via 4 important routes:

• Bushehr – Khormooj – Kangan – Lengeh – Bandar Abbas extended 920 Km in length.
• Bushehr – Borazjan – Shiraz extended 290 Km in length.
• Bushehr – Borazjan – Yasooj – Isfahan.
• Bushehr – Genaveh – Deylam – Mahshahr – Abadan extended 690 Km in length.

It is worth mentioning that Bushehr – Borazjan route is a highway

AIRPORT

The port of Bushehr is one of the most accessible ports of the country to airport with only 5 Km distance. The international airport of Bushehr is provided with domestic flights to Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashad, Kish, Kharg and international flights to Dubi and Jaddeh.

SHIP BUILDING FACTORIES

These factories, located near the port, are capable of repairing vessels of any kind up to 2500 tons onshore and building offshore constructs. Iran -Sadra Company has up to now built some huge oil platforms belonged to Southern Pars Area.

Tehran, Iran is a beautiful city with beautiful views that can captivate and mesmerize you. If you are thinking of taking a trip to explore this beautiful city, then you would be in need of premium accommodation. While there are different choices of accommodations all over the city of Tehran, not all can afford you proper service, functional amenities, affordability, and other perks. This is why we have compiled for you a list of the best Tehran hotels that you can find in this city. With this list to guide you, finding suitable accommodation for your next trip to Tehran should be a breeze. You can book Iran hotels online easily.

Espinas Palace Hotel

Espinas Palace hotel is a gorgeous 5-star hotel that happens to be located in one of the best areas in Tehran. This area is best for both residential and commercial purposes. It is located in the northern part of Tehran, and the Tehran International Exhibition center lies just a mere 3 kilometers away from the hotel. The Espinas Palace hotel also happens to be just a stone throw away from the amazing Milad-e Noor Shopping Centre. This means that you can easily enjoy a shopping spree at your convenience. This hotel offers a wonderful combination of spirituality and beauty as well as providing you with every modern amenity you can possibly think of.

Espinas Hotel

The Espinas hotel, locally called Espinas hotel Khalije Fars, is beautiful and serene and simply exquisite in its details. Its customer service is among one of the best in the Tehran hospitality industry. Because of the height upon which the building is situated, it promises a most wondrous view. The ambiance is also very welcoming and calming as it is furnished with wonderful music notes coming from the piano in the background. For a chance to enjoy calmness in Tehran, look no further than the Espinas hotel.

Ibis hotel

The Ibis hotel is also known as the Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Hotel. This hotel is best suited for frequent travelers who need to be close to the airport. Formerly called the Axis Hotel, it is just a mere 10 minutes away from IKIA which is on the Persian Gulf Highway. Despite its closeness to the airport, it is also not far away from the town itself; just 45 minutes away. With 196 rooms, fully furnished with all of the basic amenities that you would need, it is indeed, the travelers’ hotel.

Novotel Hotel

The Novotel hotel is located South of Tehran just opposite the Imam Khomeini International Airport. This exquisite hotel is one of Iran’s first airport hotels in cooperation with the French hotel group, Accor hotel group. This hotel is elegantly and tastefully furnished. Providing travelers with every basic modern amenity a hotel should have. The Novotel hotel promises its guests a memorable experience with its uniquely designed rooms, which are both stylish and spacious. The restaurant here delights in serving its guests with a variety of both local and international delicacies. 

Tehran Grand Hotel

This luxurious hotel is situated right in the center of Tehran. This hotel is best suited for tourists who would like to explore the city of Tehran exhaustively. This hotel offers access to Tehran’s public transportation system as well as other basic modern amenities. The hotel also sports a smoker’s lounge where smokers are allowed to relax and unwind. They also have a salon and barbers shop ready and at your convenience. You can also decide to patronize their pastry shop where you can fill yourself with the wonderful tastes and flavors that Tehran has to offer.

Parsian Esteghlal Hotel

This is one of the 22 prestigious Parsian International Hotel chains. The Parsian Esteghlal hotel is one of the 5-star hotels among this fleet of hotels. It is by far the largest hotel in the Parsian International Hotel chain. Located on the longest street in the Middle East, Valiasr Street, the hotel offers an easy access to both the Imam Khomeini International Airport and the Mehrabad Airport. The Tehran International Exhibition Centre is also just a mere 5-kilometer distance away from this luxury hotel. This hotel has a total of 552 rooms, all fully furnishes and equipped with every basic and modern amenity that you need.

Parsian Azadi Hotel

The Parsian Azadi hotel is located in one of the best areas in Tehran and boasts of being just 3 kilometers away from the Tehran International Exhibition center. This elegant hotel boasts of having 475 rooms all fully and adequately furnished and equipped with every basic modern amenity that is required of a hotel of its caliber. It also sports a shopping center which grants you access to a variety of Iranian souvenirs. The hotel also has a fully functional indoor and outdoor restaurant that serves a variety of both local and international cuisines.

Eskan Alvend Hotel

This elegant 4-star hotel was opened in 2014. Situated close to one of the famous squares in Tehran, the Argentine square, this hotel grants you easy access to most of Tehran’s attractions and also to its administrative centers. This hotel houses different restaurants that cater to different types of variety of delicacies which the guests can enjoy at their convenience. The hotel also sports a café which serves the most attractive and delicious drinks around. There is also a water complex which houses a steam, sauna, and spa ready for the relaxation of the guests. For a relaxing and easy stay in Tehran, the Eskan Alvend hotel is your best bet.

Borj Sefid Hotel

The Borj Sefid is a 4-star hotel. Situated in the North of Tehran, this hotel offers you the best access to the mountainous terrains of Tehran. With only 15 rooms, this exclusive hotel not only grants you a view of the gorgeous mountains of Tehran, but it also offers ample parking space. An additional view you would absolutely delight in is a view of Tehran itself right from the mountain heights. This hotel houses a wonderful French restaurant and café and a wonderful array of breakfast while enjoying a breath-taking view from the 14th floor of the building.

Homa Hotel

The Homa hotel may as well be the hotel for business travelers. This hotel is situated right in the middle of the northern business district of Tehran. It is also located close to the old parts of the city and is very convenient for travelers who have a fascination for the city’s history. These old parts are home to Tehran’s museums and palaces. The Homa hotel is proud to house the traditional Iranian restaurants which cater to any kind of taste that you fancy. This hotel has 172 rooms, all fully and tastefully furnished and equipped with all of the necessary basic and modern amenities that hotels have to offer. The hotel is designed with a fusion of continental and Iranian culture and as such brings about a distinguishing ambiance that is second to none.

There you have it, 10 of the best hotels in and around Tehran. From the functional airport hotels suitable for frequent travelers to the exclusive Borj Sedif, which is a classic and suitable for tourists, this list covers hotels for every kind of trip into Tehran. Whatever your preference, you simply cannot go wrong with this list.