Inauguration of 6 new development projects at the supergiant South Pars Gas Field will raise Irans total gas output by 150 million cubic meters per day, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh says.

During a visit to the gas field on Thursday, Zangeneh said the projects will come on-stream in the near future adding to the countrys total natural gas output.

The official said Iran is currently operating 21 phases of the gas fields development projects, adding the number will rise to 24 by the end of the current Iranian calendar year which began on March 21.
South Pars Oil Layer

Zangeneh said crude oil recovery from the gas fields oil layer stands at 20,000 b/d which will have to reach 35,000 b/d before its first phase can be officially launched.

SP. 12

Also visiting SP.12 project, he said the no ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production units were envisioned for the project in its primary sketches but a private company, investing $700m, has planned to develop such a unit in order to produce the items and inject methane to the national gas distribution network.

Once fully operational, the unit, fed by SP. 12, will supply 1.3 million tons of ethane and 1.5 million tons of LPG on a daily basis, the official added.

Saying that the ethane section of the project has made 30% progress so far, he expressed optimism that the unit will come online next calendar year.