The construction operations of Sixth Iran Gas Trunkline (IGAT-6)–a major component of the national gas grid–have been completed, the managing director of National Iranian Gas Company said on Sunday.
"The project is now 100% complete and is ready for full gas injection," Hamidreza Araqi was also quoted as saying by Shana, Oil Ministry's news portal.
Araqi noted that a comprehensive report will be presented to the government so IGAT-6 will be officially inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani in the near future.
According to the official, the project has come through ahead of plans, while previous reports said it would be up and running by the yearend (March 2019).
"A major part of the project went on stream last year, but some 100 kilometers of the 56-inch diameter pipeline remained under construction … It was completed in three months," he added.
IGAT-6 includes over 600 kilometers of pipeline, in addition to installing five gas compressor stations, at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion.
According to Araqi, the pipeline will have the capacity to transfer 110 million cubic meters of gas per day from South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf to southern and western regions, namely Hamedan and Kermanshah provinces.
IGAT-6 has been built by domestic contractors under a build-operate-transfer contract at an estimated cost of $7 billion.
Assuring Exports
Araqi said the project will help boost gas exports to the neighboring Iraq.
"The pipeline, which has already been transferring Iran's gas to Baghdad, is now ready to start gas transfer to Basra."
Iran is currently exporting gas to Iraq from Naftshahr in Kermanshah Province through a pipeline diverging from IGAT-6.
"A plan has also been made to start the construction of the Ninth Iran Gas Trunkline [IGAT-9] before the yearend," he added.
The current infrastructure allows for the supply of up to 40 mcm/d of gas to Turkey and 25 mcm/d to Iraq.
Iran plans to expand its network of gas pipelines from 36,000 kilometers to 45,000 kilometers in eight years.
According to Hassan Montazer-Torbati, the CEO of Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company, the project will also help meet domestic demand.
"IGAT-6 pipeline project will raise gas supply by 50-60 million cubic meters per day."
Currently Iran has over 22.3 million natural gas subscribers.
The country's daily gas output currently stands at 850 mcm, which is projected to reach 1.2 billion cubic meters by 2025.
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.
