An estimated 267 billion cubic meters of natural gas was produced in the last fiscal year that ended in March, director of dispatching at the National Iranian Gas Company said.
“Of the total production, 215 bcm was used domestically and the balance (52 bcm) was either exported to Iraq,Turkey and Armenia or used in oilfields,” Mehdi Jamshidi Dana was quoted as saying by the Oil Ministry’s news portal.
Giving a breakdown on internal use, he Jamshidi Dana said the household and commercial sectors accounted for the lion’s share at 112 bcm during the period.
Regarding power plants and industries, the two key setors used 61 bcm and 42 bcm of gas respectively in fiscal 2018-2019.
“Exports to Iraq and Turkey was on track last fiscal.”
According to the official, the state-owned company’s daily output between March 20, 2020 and April 3, 2020 stood at 725 million cubic meters, of which the household sector, industries and power stations used 347 mcm, 124 mcm and 134 mcm respectively per day.
Gas delivery to thermal power plants soared in the past 45 days -- from 40 mcm/d to 130 mcm/d.
As the mercury rises, (15 degrees Celsius on average) and households consume less gas, natural gas delivery to power stations is back to normal.
Gas consumption surpassed 620 million cubic meters between January and February on average, when the temperature hovered around zero degrees Celsius. The cold spell in some parts of the country forced NIGC to deliver 40 mcm/d, down 60% compared to March-December (2019) period when the figure was 100 mcm/d.
“The (40 mcm/d) delivery has now reached 130 mcm, up 200% compared to (Jan-Feb period) because households’ consumption has fallen to 450 mcm/d.”
According to NIGC, maximum gas production (if needed) can rise to 880 mcm/d, of which 630 mcm/d comes from South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf and the rest (250 mcm/d) from the Iranian Central Oil Fields Company that has three subsidiaries, namely West Oil and Gas Production Company, East Oil and Gas Production Company and South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company.
Export Disruption
Referring to exports to Turkey which has been disrupted since March 31 due to a pipeline explosion, he noted, “As soon as Turkey's Botas, the country's gas importing company, repairs the pipeline (that has not yet started), exports will resume.”
Iranian technicians are capable of repairing the pipeline in less than a week, he said, adding that NIGC has informed Turkish officials of its preparedness to help but has received no response.
The pipeline explosion reportedly happened on March 31 and it was the tenth time inside Turkish territory, halting the flow from the 40-inch pipeline.
Local authorities said the blast hit a section of the pipeline near the Gurbulak Border Crossing in the eastern province of Agri.
Turkey buys around a quarter of its annual 40 billion cubic meters of piped natural gas from Iran, making its eastern neighbor the second biggest supplier after Russia.
NIGC uses IGAT-9 with a length of 1,900 km to transfer gas from Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province, to Bazargan district in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan that extends into Turkish territory.
Iran is the second largest gas supplier to the country after Russia, delivering close to 9 billion cubic meters annually.
NIGC signed a contract in 1996 to export up to 10 bcm of gas a year to Turkey over 25 years.
Close to 20 million cubic meters of gas is exported to Iraq every day (costing $200 million per month).
Iran (34 trillion cubic meters) and Russia (32.6 tcm) hold the largest proven gas reserves in the world, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy.
