The Soroush gas field in located on Kharg Island, Bushehr province.

The operation was undertaken with cooperation of National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and coordination of Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) by dispatching “Forest” tanker to Soroush field to inject gas condensates to its wells.

The operation was successfully accomplished for the first time in the history of Iran oil industry.

It was aimed at paving the way for continuation of gas production in the joint field and increasing the industry’s flexibility in critical conditions.

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The platform stopped gas excavation a year ago due to damages to parts of its pipelines stretching 110 kilometers on the seabed.

Alireza Ebadi said that the damaged pipelines have been repaired and the platform came back to production on Friday with a capacity of 500 million cubic feet.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA on Oct 20, Managing-Director of the South Pars Field Hadi Hashemzadeh Farhang said that once Iran completes the new phase of South Pars Field, it will outpace Qatar in gas excavation from the shared field by 120 mcm/d.

The official said that Iran finally won the “breathtaking marathon” over gas excavation in the shared field with Qatar.

Now 23 years after the South Pars development project inaugurated, the field, having 12 refineries, has turned into the biggest gas refinery complex of the world.

With the inauguration of phases 2 and 3 in 2001, the field used to produce some 56 mcm/d of gas which has now risen to 700 mcm/d, he added.

He said that what doubles Iran’s achievement in outpacing Qatar in the excavation of gas from the shared field is that only one-third of the area of the field is located within the Iranian territory while the rest two-thirds are in the Qatari waters.

The post Iran resumes gas excavation from Phase 16 of South Pars Field appeared first on IRAN This Way.

Ali Ahmadi, the complex’s caretaker of coordination and production control, said, “With the operation of South Pars Gas Complex refineries, in order to achieve sustainable and maximum production in the special conditions of the coronavirus outbreak, appropriate measures at the level of refinery operation management have been done.”

He added, “According to the health instructions of the Ministry of Petroleum, the necessary equipment have been procured for the presence of colleagues, and gas production is constantly being monitored to achieve maximum production and sustainability.”

The official also underlined the importance of gas condensate production and continuous delivery of the item to consumers, adding, “The production situation of this product is always monitored and sent to the relevant bases.”

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The giant structure was carried to the South Pars field aboard Barge 124FLB in the weekend, after 98 percent completion in Iran Marine Industry Company (SADRA).

After a week-long wait for the weather to go steady, the mega platform D14 cut through water in the Persian Gulf and docked on the gas condensate depository.

Installation of accessories like connection bridge and torch will begin soon to operationalize the platform which will increase gas production of phase 14 of South Pars field by 14.2 million cubic meters per day to reach 56 million m3/day in total, according to South Pars Phase 14 Development Plan Executive Mohammad Mahdi Tavassolipour.

He also said that the platform, as a part of offshore section of the Phase 14, will become operational and join the production circuit by the next two months.

The offshore section is currently producing 42 million cubic meters of gas every day through three platforms A14, B14, C14.

Once the new platform D14 is ready to operate, the Phase 14 of South Pars filed will produce 50 million m3/day of sweet gas, 75,000 bpd of condensate, 400 tonnes/day of Sulfur and an annual amount of one million tonnes of LNG and Ethan.

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“Iran is now extracting around 600 million cubic meters per day of natural gas from the field, twice the amount five years ago,” Mohammad Meshkinfam said.

“Except for Phase 11, other phases including 13, 14, 22, and 24 have come on stream,” the official added.

He noted that the company has built 13 refineries, drilled 267 wells, and laid 3,500 kilometers of subsea pipes.

According to Meshkinfam, the field’s daily output will soar to 850 million cubic meters of natural gas, one million barrels of condensates, 10 million tons of LPG and 5,000 tons of sulfur when it is in full operation.

South Pars, which is located in the Persian Gulf and shared between Iran and Qatar, is the world’s largest gas reserve. It holds an estimated 51 trillion cubic meters of in-situ natural gas and some 50 billion barrels of condensates.

The megaproject is being developed in 24 phases.

According to an estimate, Iran’s recoverable gas stands at 10 trillion cubic meters and Qatar’s is estimated to be over 25 trillion cubic meters.

Meshkinfam had earlier said that “more than $70 billion have been spent on the gas project over the last 15 years and the field requires between $20 billion and $30 billion in additional spending to become fully operational.”

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Construction of the refinery started in 2006, but the project was delayed as the result of some  financial limitation due to the sanctions against Iran.

Planned to have a total crude oil processing capacity of 360,000 barrels per day, Persian Gulf Star is projected to be complete by the end of the next Iranian calendar year 1397 (March 20, 2019).

The facility is owned by Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Investment Company (49%), Oil Industry Pension Fund (33.1%) and National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) (17.9%).

The project is estimated to be completed at a cost of approximately $3.4bn.

Once fully operational, the refinery will add over 36 million liters of Euro-4 and Euro-5 quality gasoline to the country’s gasoline production capacity to increase it to 100 million liters per day.

When the first phase of Persian Gulf Star Refinery was inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani on April 30, 2017, Iran said it is now self-sufficient in gasoline production.

“By inaugurating the first phase of this refinery an old dream came true. We are self-sufficient in gasoline production and in near future we will be able to export,” Rouhani said in the inaugural ceremony of the first phase.

Second phase of the refinery is scheduled to be complete by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2018) adding 12 million liters of Euro 5 gasoline to Iran’s capacity of the product, Alireza Sadeq-Abadi, the managing director of National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), announced in the inaugural ceremony of the distillation unit of the second phase on February 14.

In mid-December last year, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said Iran will reach a stable status in gasoline production once the second phase of Persian Gulf Star Refinery comes on stream.

Bringing self-sufficiency for the country in terms of gasoline production, once fully operational, the Middle East’s largest processing facility for gas condensate will also play a big role to turn Iran into an exporter of gasoline.

The big job has already started as the first shipment of Euro 5 gasoline produced by Persian Gulf Star Refinery was delivered to Shahid Rajaee port in south of the country in early December last year.

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Mohammad Meshkinfam noted that Iran extracted an average of 550 million cubic meters of natural gas from the field, which is shared with Qatar, during this winter, adding by late March, gas recovery from Platform A of Phase 14 of the gas field will reach 14.2 million cubic meters per day, Shana reported.

Speaking during a visit to onshore refinery facilities of the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, the POGC chief said that Platform C of the same phase will begin operation within three months following the inauguration of the first platform.

Platforms of phases 13, 22, 23 and 24 of the giant gas field, each with a gas extraction capacity of 14.2 million cubic meters, will go on stream in the year to mid-March 2019.

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“There is bad news and good news,” believes Chris Cook, a strategic market consultant, who also formerly headed the International Petroleum Exchange.

“The bad news is that the Trump administration is intent on making Iranian access to dollars — whether dollar payments or dollar investment via equity funding or debt financing — to all intents and purposes impossible, notwithstanding anything in the JCPOA,” Cook said responding to Trend query regarding the Islamic Republic’s capability to draw foreign investment to renew the country’s oil and gas industry.

“The good news is that it is completely possible for trillions of dollars worth of investment to be made in Iran and in neighboring countries without using dollars at all. This is because accounting/pricing — or keeping score — of transactions in dollars is very different from using the dollar clearing system to repay dollar debts or repatriate dollar profits on investment,” he added.

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has in recent years been engaged in updating the long-standing ‘Energy Diplomacy’, developed during the former president Mohammad Khatami’s administration, Cook reminded, adding that this ‘smart energy policy’ instrument consisted of energy swaps, such as the Caspian oil swap (flows of Caspian crude oil into northern Iran, exchanged for flows of crude oil delivered out of the Persian Gulf).

“In addition to reactivation of these and similar swaps, perhaps the most remarkable — and most important — ‘Energy Diplomacy’ was the recently contracted South Pars 11 investment by Total, through which 20 years’ investment of technology, skills and experience will be swapped for a flow of condensate. The outcome is firstly a ‘smart swap’ of intellectual value for the value of carbon fuels, and secondly, through the participation of Chinese investors the deal provides 20 years’ security of condensate demand for Iran and 20 years’ security of condensate supply for China,” Cook suggested.

“The point is that such smart swaps will — within a suitable networked market platform or ‘energy clearing union’ — enable many hundred billion dollars worth of intellectual and other resources required by Iran to be swapped for many hundred billion dollars worth of carbon fuels supplied by Iran.

“Since such swaps do not take place on the oil market platform dominated by the US, they do not require settlement in dollars through the US dollar clearing system from which Iran is effectively excluded.”

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Manouchehri has a brilliant background in companies like Petropars and Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company (IOEC), both involved in the development of South Pars gas field.

He is now serving as the deputy managing director of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for development and engineering.
The exclusive interview he has granted to “Iran Petroleum” is as follows:

Q: How do you see the future of South Pars gas field?
A: Except for Phase 11, other phases of South Pars are forecast to have been completed within two years or at most 30 months. Phase 11 development is expected to be finished in four years. South Pars will definitely play a major role in the supply of gas and condensate in the country. After remaining phases are developed in South Pars, gas condensate production in this jointly owned field will reach 1 mb/d.
Q: Could you name the future challenges to the South Pars development?
A: The pressure fall-off in gas and gas condensate will be one of the main challenges in this field.

Q: What could be done to cope with this problem?
A: Using pressure booster compressors could be an effective measure. Furthermore, reservoir studies must be carried out more seriously and more comprehensively. Changes in the condition and behavior of reservoir and forecasting future conditions are also important. Other layers of South Pars should be also studied. Transferring gas from adjoining fields in a way to avoid a quick fall-off in the gas pressure and volume of gas condensate production is also another measure. Pressure fall-off is a natural phenomenon, but we have to try to lengthen the production plan.

Q: So South Pars will need more efforts and activities in the future.
A: That’s true. Drilling in this joint field will be based on studies in the future. The type of drilling may change. Moreover, there is much sensitivity with regard to the jointly owned parts of this field. Since the Qatari side is recovering gas along with us we will naturally see more problems.

Q: Do you think there is technology for preserving production in Iran?
A: This technology is accessible and naturally in the future we will be able to increase the share of Iranian companies in implementing such projects. The more we go ahead, the higher gas and gas condensation will cost, and we have to recognize that production costs in South Pars will go up.

Q: How much does production cost in South Pars now?
A: Implementation of each phase of South Pars under the current circumstances is estimated around $2.5 billion and our production costs stand at two or three percent of the value of investment. It is a low figure, but will increase in the future.

Q: How much do you think this increase will be?
A: It depends on the conditions of upcoming years and the amount of additional investment. But undoubtedly the costs of installations will increase. Therefore, we cannot announce any accurate figure. However, it will most probably be twice.

Q: Are you happy with the current management of South Pars output maintenance?
A: Regarding the maintenance of onshore facilities, NIOC is largely experienced and we have no serious problem in this regard. However, we need to improve standards of production, reduce flare gases and minimize environmental damage. For this purpose, we need investment. Moreover, in some refineries we need to implement a complementary procedure to eliminate flare gas.

Q: What about offshore maintenance?
A: In this sector we need to pay more attention and apply higher standards because in the offshore sector our operation models do not fully comply with international conditions. At the beginning, our platforms were designed to be unmanned, but they are manned now. Therefore, we have to take into account this fact that such facilities are exposed to more degradation and more difficult to accede. We have to run South Pars which has a 30-year to 50-year future.

Q: How do you assess South Pars’ role in empowering domestic contractors?
A: Iranian contractors became international thanks to South Pars. The fact is that South Pars has been instrumental in upgrading domestic industry and project management mechanism, development of contracting system and engineering services companies. In the past we often heard that Isfahan Steel Mill was a good model in terms of concrete pouring and molding. But South Pars has played a major role in developing EPC knowhow, petroleum engineering, refinery construction and equipment manufacturing. We cannot say that all this happened first in South Pars, but given the scale of work, many industrial plants, factories and contracting companies emerged and grew under the aegis of South Pars and then they spread across the country. I can say that South Pars improved technical standards and raised the expectations of managers with regard to the quality of work. Moreover, a valuable interaction was created between Iranian and international companies at different levels of activity.
In fact, after implementation of phases 1 to 8 of South Pars by Iranian and foreign companies, the top role in phases 12 to 16 was assigned to Iranian companies. Although we had problems with some of these projects due to high costs and delays, Iranian companies finally proved their capabilities in drilling, offshore and onshore operations and pipelaying.

Q: In case you are asked to name several Iranian companies that have been empowered through their activities in South Pars, which companies will you name?
A: Undoubtedly Petropars is at the top of them. This company managed to play the role of a developer. OIEC (Oil Industries Engineering and Construction Company) as an EPC company, IOEC in offshore EPC and some private companies are also among them. Sadra has also shown good growth although it delayed some of thes projects due to domestic problems and has so far failed to deliver platforms for phases 13, 14 and 22-24. Nevertheless, generally speaking, Iranian companies have fared well in the development of South Pars.

Q: Would you please cite some of the measures taken first in South Pars?
A: Drilling, deepwater drilling, subsea pipelaying, and project macro-management.

Q: Once South Pars phases have been completed, provided that unbridled consumption is contained, which role could Iran play in the gas market?
A: After completing South Pars phase development, we will have the chance to invest in LNG sector. Of course, it is already possible. [But] then we can enhance our gas exports to the region.

Q: What have been the challenges of South Pars in recent years?
A: Investment, project mismanagement, supply of equipment and commodities were among these challenges. But these problems have been resolved after the implementation of the JCPOA and the [ensuing] lifting of sanctions.

Q: How do you assess cooperation with foreign companies in the development of South Pars?
A: During years of sanctions, NIOC and its staff demonstrated their capabilities in developing oil and gas fields, particularly the jointly owned South Pars field. During this period, phases 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 were developed. Gas production capacity in South Pars currently stands at more than 480 mcm/d, which is expected to reach 580 mcm/d early next [calendar] year. As far as recovery from South Pars is concerned we have to continue producing gas and gas condensate more smartly. In order to have access to cutting edge technologies we need to cooperate with service companies and international oil companies (IOCs) so that they would bring capital, technology and management into the country.

Q: You were manager in both Petropars and IOEC and you have experience of offshore and onshore sectors. How do you assess your own performance at South Pars?
A: I thank God for my contribution to the development of these fields from the very beginning. I joined the project when Phase 1 was in its final day of development; I managed development of phases 6 to 8. I also managed development of Phase 12 half way, as I was CEO of Petropars and project manager. When I left this company all contracts had already been signed. The contract for Phase 19 of South Pars was signed when I was at Petropars. Furthermore, when I was IOEC manager, seven to eight platforms were finally completed and installed.

Q: Would you please name five influential people in the South Pars development?
A: Certainly Mr. Zangeneh (minister of petroleum) will occupy the ranks one to three. He is followed by Misters [Akbar] Torkan and [Mehdi] Mirmoezzi. But Mr. Zangeneh was the pioneer of South Pars and he was the one who brought about fundamental changes in the petroleum industry.

By Roya Khaleqi/ Courtesy of Iran Petroleum

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The first major Western energy investment since sanctions against Tehran were lifted will cost up to $5 billion, with production expected to start within 40 months, an Oil Ministry source said, Reuters reported.

The US and other world powers lifted sanctions after the country pledged to roll back its nuclear program.

With the 20-year deal, Total is now returning to Iran, where it first began operating in the 1990s. Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné said in a statement on Monday that the investment would be “in strict compliance with applicable national and international laws”.

The US still has restrictions in place that block most American companies from investing in Iran. And some Western companies have been reluctant to jump in since Iran still faces sanctions that prevent firms from transacting with Iran in US dollars.

Total estimates the first phase of the project will cost around $2 billion. It is taking a 50.1 percent stake in the South Pars project. CNPC will own 30 percent while the other 19.9 percent will go to Petropars.

The project will have a production capacity of two billion cubic feet per day, or 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day including condensate, according to Total.

Iran’s Oil Ministry predicts the project will eventually produce gas products worth $54 billion based on current prices. The gas will start flowing into the Iranian market in 2021.

Iran has significantly ramped up its energy production since the sanctions were relaxed.

Figures from OPEC show Iran has boosted its daily crude oil production by more than 33 percent since 2015.

Iran sits on nine percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 18 percent of the planet’s natural gas, according to data from BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy.

Iran and Qatar share the South Pars field.

Iran has signed a flurry of deals with Western companies over the past year since the easing of international sanctions on Tehran after an accord was reached over its nuclear program.

Iran needs foreign investment to repair and upgrade its oil and gas fields. It also seeks the transfer of technology to its oil industry after a decade of sanctions.

Iran has named 34 companies from over a dozen countries as being eligible to bid for oil and gas projects using the new, less restrictive contract model.

The firms include Shell, France’s Total, Italy’s Eni, Malaysia’s Petronas and Russia’s Gazprom and Lukoil, as well as companies from China, Austria, Japan and other countries.

Russia’s Zarubezhneft signed an MoU to conduct feasibility studies on two joint fields in the west of the country.

Norway‘s International Aker Solutions Company signed an MoU to modernize Iran’s oil industry.

In May 2016, Austria’s OMV signed an MoU for projects in the Zagros area in western Iran and the Fars field in the south.

South Korean Daewoo Engineering and Construction (Daewoo E&C) signed an MoU to construct an oil refinery in Bandar Jask, on the southern coast of Iran.

Italy’s Saipem signed MoUs to cooperate on pipeline projects, upgrading of refineries and development of Tous gas field in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi.

Norwegian oil and gas company DNO said it was the second Western energy company after Total to sign a deal with Iran under which it agreed to study the development of the Changuleh oilfield in western Iran.

Lukoil, Russia’s second biggest oil producer, hopes to reach a decision on developing two new oilfields in Iran.

Germany’s Siemens AG signed an MoU in May to overhaul equipment and facilities at Iran’s oil operations and refineries.

BASF’s Wintershall oil and gas exploration subsidiary signed an MoU with the National Iranian Oil Company in April 2016.

President Rouhani:
Developing South Pars Phase 11 not only an economic contract, but also a scientific, technological, management cooperation

President Rouhani met with the Chairman and CEO of France’s Total company and described South Pars region as an important centre for developing international cooperation with Iran in the field of energy-technology.

In the meeting that was held on Monday in Tehran, Dr Rouhani told Total’s Patrick Pouyanné: “Due to the good potentials and hard-working young men in Iran, the contract of developing Phase 11 of South Pars is not only an economic one, but also a scientific, technological and management cooperation”.

Total CEO: We seek a long-term cooperation with Iran

“The Islamic Republic of Iran and France have always had good relations and cooperation with each other,” he continued saying.

Referring to France’s position in economy and energy technology, he added: “The signing and execution of this contract will be a significant step in development of economic and technological cooperation between the two countries”.

Stating that the 11th administration has attempted to finalise the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to clear the path for economic cooperation between major companies and Iran, the President said: “Fortunately, this political will from the Iranian side and among P5+1 countries paved the way for this agreements with Total”.

President also referred to his Europe and France visit after the signing of JCPOA, adding: “In Paris, there was a good political will among the authorities of both countries to develop cooperation and important agreements were signed between the two countries to deepen ties and cooperation”.

“It is our policy to cooperate with major companies such as Total,” said Dr Rouhani, adding: “Currently, projects in gas and oil worth roughly $200bn are ready to be invested on and major foreign companies can cooperate in these projects”.

“We must work hard to achieve peace and stability in the region serving economic progress and development of the region, because scientific and developmental cooperation can help us combat ignorance and poverty as the bedrocks of terrorism expansion,” he continued.

The President also expressed hope that with the new agreements and cooperation in the field of gas, oil and petrochemicals, Iran and France take considerable steps in developing ties.

During the meeting, the Chairman and CEO of France’s Total company Patrick Pouyanné also expressed happiness over meeting the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and described the contract as a very important one, saying: “Today, we are very happy that we could finalise and execute the contract with the help of the authorities of the two countries”.

Stating that the JCPOA agreement has paved the way for further development of relations between European countries and Iran, he said: “We are optimistic about our cooperation with Iranian companies”.

“We seek a long-term cooperation with Iran,” continued Pouyanné.

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