South Pars Phase 14 Launch in February

Early production from South Pars Gas Field's Phase 14 in the Persian Gulf is planned to start in mid-February, the director of the phase said this week.

“Phase 14, which has so far made 77% progress, starts gas production on February 11 [that marks the 39th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution],” Hamidreza Masoudi was also quoted as saying by the National Iranian Oil Company’s official news portal.

According to Masoudi, the phase is aimed at producing 56 million cubic meters per day of gas, 400 tons of sulfur, 2,800 tons of propane, 80,000 barrels of condensates and 2,550 tons of petrochemical feedstock, once fully operational.

Speaking at a news briefing this week, the official noted that platform 14A, which weighs 2,530 tons, will be transferred to its offshore location in Phase 14 in a week.

Masoudi stressed that the development of the phase, along with phases 13, 19, 21, 22 and 24, was handed over to a consortium in June 2010.

“The consortium was made up of the Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran, as the leader, as well as Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex, Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company, Machine Sazi Arak and MAPNA,” he said.

The National Iranian Drilling Company has also been involved with the drilling of wells in Phase 14.

Asked about Phase 14 drilling operations, the official said 22 wells have been drilled and effort is being made to complete the rest in the near future.

According to Masoudi, satellite platforms of the phase (14C and 14D) will be connected to main platforms (14B and 14A) with the help of two 18-inch pipelines.

The world's largest gas field is known as South Pars in Iran's territory with its Qatari extension referred to as North Dome. Officials expect all 24 phases of South Pars to come on stream by March 2019, the end of the next fiscal year.