Iranian Firm to Build 1st South Pars Phase 11 Platform

An unnamed Iranian company will build the first jacket platform for South Pars Gas Field's Phase 11 in the Persian Gulf, the head of the Society of Iranian Petroleum Industry Equipment Manufacturers said on Tuesday.

“French oil and gas giant Total S.A., as the contractor of SP’s Phase 11 development plan, has started assessing domestic companies for collaboration in the gas venture and selected a subcontractor for developing the first jacket platform of SP Phase 11 project. The name of the [Iranian] company will be announced in the near future,” Reza Khayyamian was also quoted as saying by ISNA.

He added that the development of Phase 11 includes the installation of three jackets.

Jacket refers to the steel frame supporting the deck and the topsides in a fixed offshore platform.

According to the official, Total recently held a meeting with local manufacturers and contractors in Tehran, during which the company described the requirements of the builder of the jacket as well as its standards and evaluation process.

“Iranian oil associations gathered on Monday in Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture headquarters, discussing ways of increasing Iranian companies’ participation in the new oil and gas deals, dubbed Iran Petroleum Contract,” he said.

He acknowledged that domestic companies have some catching up to do to meet Total's requirements for the South Pars project.

Khayyamian stressed that five domestic companies have submitted their resumes to the French firm, adding that there were initially plans to form a consortium of Iranian companies for constructing the jackets, but Total started to assess the companies to select one.

Total is expected to use its know-how to build and install a 20,000-ton platform in South Pars, which is "unrivaled in the region", Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said.

The largest offshore gas platform in South Pars weighs about 3,000 tons.

The gas deal with Total is the first major collaboration between Iran and a top-flight western company since international economic sanctions were lifted last year. It also marks the return of Total to Iran's energy market after a seven-year hiatus.