National Distributor Ready for CNG Export

Iran is able and willing to start export of compressed natural gas (CNG), said Ali Mehrabi, deputy for  construction affairs of CNG stations at the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC), signaling the interest in expanding the market for clean fuel.

“Iran has laid the groundwork for CNG exports," Mehrabi said, adding that the country is also ready to share knowhow for CNG storage and transportation, ISNA reported.

Mehrabi said Iran is engaged in natural gas exports to Iraq, but can also develop CNG infrastructure inside that neighboring Arab country.

“Based on Iranian law, the private sector can start construction of CNG stations in Iraq after laying a gas export pipeline is completed,” he added.

Mansour Riahi, NIOPDC managing director, earlier said that the company plans to enter the global CNG market, stressing that Iraq and Central Asian states are its target markets.

  Moving Toward CNG Industry

Iran is taking measures to raise CNG output and promote domestic consumption of the clean, odorless and non-corrosive fuel.

According to reports, CNG-powered vehicles produce roughly 20% less harmful emissions than gasoline-powered cars.

Underscoring CNG's role in curtailing gasoline consumption, Nasser Sajjadi, former managing director of the NIORDC, said in March, "We could be consuming more than 160 million liters of gasoline per day if it weren’t for the rise in CNG production and rationing of gasoline."

Gasoline consumption averaged 73.2 million liters per day over the first half of the current fiscal year (March-September).

  CNG Stations

According to latest reports, the number of CNG stations across Iran has reached 2,335 and plans call for building 50 more stations by next March, the end of the current fiscal.

According to Mehrabi, new CNG station have been established in Kermanshah, Sari, Mashhad, Karaj, Birjand, Ardabil and the capital Tehran.

Mehrabi said daily CNG consumption across the country reached 20 million cubic meters in the last fiscal that ended in March. Iran's CNG consumption is projected to comprise up to 35% of the national fuel basket by the end of the sixth economic development plan (2016-21).