The state-run National Iranian Gas Company has increased export revenues by 64% over the last 12 months, the head of NIGC said.
“NIGC received $1.6 billion of its natural gas debt from Iraq and it has raised the volume of gas exports to Turkey by 11%,” Majid Chegeni was also quoted as saying by ISNA.
Turkey buys around a quarter of its 40 billion cubic meters of piped natural gas a year from Iran.
“Close to 30 million cubic meters of gas per day are also sold to Iraq. Natural gas swap with neighboring nations, including Turkmenistan, has also experienced a 138% growth over the period,” he said.
“National gas grid has extended by 500 kilometers since last May and close to 14,000 new subscribers have been linked to the network in rural areas.”
NIGC has installed gas pipeline to feed new power stations, namely Aryan Power Plant in Zanjan, Qeshm Pasargad Combined-Cycle Power Plant on Qeshm Island, Kish Island Power Plant and Hengam Power Plant in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province.
“Over 113,300 urban and rural subscribers in Sistan-Baluchestan Province are connected to the gas grid and projects are underway to increase the figure.”
Currently, a large number of people in the cities of Zahedan, Zabol, Iranshahr, Bampur and Mohammadan, and villages around them have access to piped gas via 3,650 km of gas pipeline and the government is determined to ensure that all the people in the remote province will be provided with natural gas in the near future.
With an area of 188,222 square kilometers (equivalent to 11.5% of the country's area) and a population of more than 2.8 million people, Sistan-Baluchestan is the only province partly deprived of piped gas. Until its whole population is connected to the grid, homes are making do with liquid fuel.
Almost 4.7 million liters of liquid fuel are supplied in the country per day, of which 2.2 million liters go to the southeastern province. The volume used in the province will decline when new projects are implemented.
NIGC produced an estimated 232 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2022), the head of NIGC said.
Domestic Consumption
Of the total output, 215 bcm were consumed domestically and the rest was either exported to Iraq and Turkey, or stored in Sarajeh and Shourijeh storage facilities in Qom and Khorasan Razavi provinces, or injected into oil wells.
Domestic consumption in 2021 increased by 5 bcm compared to a year ago, he added.
Giving a breakdown, Chegeni noted that of the total use, households and the commercial sector accounted for the major share of consumption at 115 bcm during the period, indicating no change compared to 2020.
“Gas consumption in industries, namely petrochemical and cement factories, reached 40 bcm,” he added.
According to the official, gas delivery to thermal power stations reached 60 bcm in the 12-month period.
Highlighting Iran’s position as one of the world’s biggest owners of gas reserves, the NIGC chief noted that Iran has great potential for the production and export of this natural resource as well as cooperation in ensuring energy supply security.
“Despite the US unilateral sanctions, Iran has been able to increase gas production and implement large-scale projects in upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors by relying on domestic capabilities and knowhow,” he said.
Iran is also one of the leading countries in developing a domestic gas supply network, covering over 95% of the population and replacing liquid fuels with natural gas in industry, transit and power plants.
The share of natural gas in Iran’s energy basket has grown by over 75% and this progress will hopefully increase the country’s export capacities.
