Subsea pipe-laying operations are underway to connect the Persian Gulf’s largest island, Qeshm, to the national gas grid, managing director of Iran Gas Engineering and Development Company said.
“Of the 60-km 30-inch pipeline, from Bandar Abbas to Qeshm County in Hormozgan Province, 20 km are now being laid at a depth of 3,000 meters on the Persian Gulf bed with the horizontal drilling method by domestic contractors,” Reza Noshadi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The existence of hydrocarbons, the strategic Strait of Hormuz, proximity to Oman Sea, connection to national electricity network and access to Central Asia markets are among advantages of Qeshm that reinforce its strategic location as a hub for oil, gas and petrochemical export.
According to the official, the Bandar Abbas-Qeshm pipeline is an extension of the Iran Gas Trunkline-7 (IGAT-7) that starts in Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province, and pumps gas from the giant South Pars field in the Persian Gulf to the eastern regions, including Zahedan in southeast Sistan-Baluchestan Province.
Referring to the HDD method, he added that it is a construction technique whereby a tunnel is drilled under a waterway or other designated area, and a pipeline or other utility is pulled through the drilled underground tunnel.
The underground tunnel follows an arc line from the entry point, down under the special crossing area, and then resurfaces on the opposite side. Using advanced technology and highly trained technicians, a drill head guides the drilling pipe electronically to ensure that the angle, depth and exit point adhere to carefully designed engineering plans. Throughout the drilling process, the tunnel is kept open and lubricated by circulating a watery mud-slurry mixture.
The pipeline is expected to transfer 25 million cubic meters of natural gas to the island per day to be used as feedstock in Qeshm Power Plant and petrochemical plants under construction.
Sufficient Feedstock
The feedstock will be sufficient to feed four petrochemical plants that have registered a work-in-progress rate of 50%, he said, noting that upon their completion, the complexes will produce 6 million tons of value-added products per annum.
Referring to the island’s sole combined cycle power plant, he said its second gas unit is now operational but the third cannot go on stream unless the gas pipeline project is complete.
With 170-megawatt capacity, the second gas unit was built by MAPNA Group – Iran's main engineering and energy firm – and cost $225 million. The first unit was launched last year and produces 340 MW.
Besides the rise in power generation, production at Sarkhoun and Qeshm Gas Refining Company has increased to 14.4 mcm per day. The refinery is located 25 km northeast of Bandar Abbas, capital of Hormozgan Province, and has been operating since 1996.
Sarkhoun and Qeshm Gas Refining Company extract and refine natural gas, associated gas condensate and liquefied gas from the Sarkhoun Gas Field in Bandar Abbas region and Gavarzin gas field in Qeshm.
Qeshm Island is a key destination in southern Iran and draws tourists to its wide range of ecotourism attractions such as the Hara Marine Forest, geological formations and sandy beaches. The island is developing its industrial prowess while preserving its age-old traditions.
According to environmentalists, about 1.5% of the world’s birds and 25% of Iran's native birds migrate to the forests every year, which are the first national geopark of Iran.
Due to Hormozgan’s proximity to the Sea of Oman and Persian Gulf, the province is also active in fisheries, boat and shipbuilding, as well as oil and gas industries.
Hormozgan has abundant mineral resources and its chromite, red soil, lime, gypsum, sulfur and salt mines are well known.
Tower generation capacity in Hormozgan stands at 4,000 MW and 85,000 MW at the national level.
