The Sixth Iran Gas Trunkline (IGAT-6)–a major component of the national gas grid–will go on stream by the end of the current fiscal that ends in March 2019, the CEO of Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company said.
"Upon completion, IGAT-6 pipeline project will raise gas supply by 50-60 million cubic meters daily," Hassan Montazer-Torbati was also quoted as saying by Shana.
"Some 100 kilometers of the 56-inch diameter pipeline are still under construction … The venture is in a good stage of development and will be up and running by the yearend," he added.
IGAT-6 includes establishment of over 600 kilometers of pipeline, in addition to installing five gas compressor stations, at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion. Montazer-Torbati noted that the operation of five stations can increase IGAT-6 transfer capacity to 110 mcm.
The pipeline is designed to transfer fossil fuel from South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf to southern and western regions, namely Hamedan and Kermanshah provinces.
The IGEDC chief said IGAT-6 is being carried out by domestic contractors under a build-operate-transfer contract.
Montazer-Torbati said the project will help push forward the government's plan to increase total gas output to meet domestic demand.
Boosting Overall Capacity
Saeed Momeni, the deputy for gas distribution at the National Iranian Gas Company, said on Saturday his company is currently supplying over 22.3 million subscribers throughout the country.
According to Momeni, the country's daily gas output currently stands at 850 mcm, which are projected to reach 1.2 billion cubic meters by 2025.
Iran plans to expand its network of gas pipelines from 36,000 kilometers to 45,000 kilometers in eight years.
By 2025, the length of Iran’s gas pipelines should increase by 9,000 km and the annual gas transfer capacity is planned to reach 400 billion cubic meters from the current 240 billion cubic meters.
Lifting Exports
Montazer-Torbati said the project will also help boost gas exports to the neighboring Iraq.
Iran is currently exporting gas to Iraq from Naftshahr region in Kermanshah Province through a pipeline diverging from IGAT-6.
"A plan has also been made to start the construction of the ninth branch of Iran Gas Trunkline (IGAT-9) before the yearend," he added.
The project includes the construction of 250 km of a 56-inch pipeline.
According to Montazer-Torbati, the pipeline starts from Asalouyeh and passes through Ahvaz, Dehgolan and Bazargan through 17 compressor stations before terminating at the northern Bazargan just north of Maku.
Previous reports quoted the official as estimating the project's cost to stand at $7 billion.
"Upon completion, the pipeline will be capable of transferring 100 million cubic meters of natural gas per day," he said, adding that the pipeline would help increase exports to both Iraq and Turkey.
The current infrastructure allows for the supply of up to 40 mcm/d of gas to Turkey and 25 mcm/d to Iraq.
Iran holds 34 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves, the largest in the world ahead of Russia with 32.6 trillion cubic meters, according to BP estimates.
