Following the US, Russia and Canada, Iran has one of the largest gas supply networks, the managing director of Iranian Gas Transmission Company said on Monday.
“The country has laid over 36,000 kilometers of gas pipelines across the country and operates 81 gas compressor stations as well as nine export and import terminals,” Saeed Tavakkoli also told IRNA on Tuesday.
With the launch of new phases at the giant South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf, Iran has boosted its natural gas output, which will help ramp up exports.
Iran produces 850 million cubic meters of gas per day, which is planned to reach 1.2 billion cm/d by 2022.
There are more than 22.3 million gas subscribers in the country, which is equal to 70 million people.
Tavakkoli added that gas transmission capacity stands at 260 billion cubic meters per annum.
The official noted that the annual overhaul of gas facilities should end in September, which would ensure the sustainable supply of natural gas in the cold season.
Asked about IGTC’s policies on using domestic equipment in development projects, Tavakkoli said that supporting and utilizing domestic capacities and eliminating hurdles on the way of attracting local investments are the main measures taken by the state-owned company to achieve self-sufficiency.
Hamidreza Araqi, the managing director of National Iranian Gas Company, inaugurated a center for training his company’s workforce in the city of Karaj, Alborz Province, on Tuesday.
Such centers aim to gradually provide specialized courses for about 12,000 technicians of NIGC, the official, who also is a deputy oil minister, added.
Stressing that workforce training is vital for the successful implementation of major gas development projects, Araqi said gas supply to Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, for instance, was carried out in a relatively short period of time by NIGC’s experts.
