Iran<\/a><\/strong>, the world’s biggest gas reserve holder (33.5 trillion cubic meters, 18 percent of the total) has increased its gas output significantly and is targeting an output of 1 bcm\/d by March 20, 2018.<\/p>\n Iran prefers to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to distant markets including the EU<\/a><\/strong>, but no agreement has yet been reached on the construction of plants for the purpose, reported Trend News Agency.<\/p>\n The country’s sole LNG <\/a><\/strong>project, the 52-percent completed ‘Iran LNG’ needs an investment of about $8-10 billion and talks with foreign investors haven’t yielded any results so far.<\/p>\n Last year, Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company Ali Kardor said that Iran is targeting exports of 0.5-2 million metric tons per year (MT\/y) of LNG using mini-LNG plants and floating LNG vessels (FLNG) \u2014 Iran’s alternative projects to export LNG.<\/p>\n The country has signed memorandum of understandings (MoU) with South Korean<\/a><\/strong> Kogas on the development of LNG projects as well as with National Energy Administration of China <\/a><\/strong>on developing mini-LNG projects.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n However, talks on purchasing or manufacturing floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessels in recent months have so far yielded no results.<\/p>\n Now, Kardor says that Iran’s first deal on the construction of a FLNG facility will soon be signed with a Norwegian company.<\/p>\n The 20-year deal is intended to produce 500,000 tons of LNG, Kardor said on October 10, adding that pricing formula of the products will be determined by the Oil Ministry.<\/p>\n