CNG Network Expanding

Efforts are being made to extend compressed natural gas network in the country, as the number of stations has exceeded 2,400. According to IRNA, 11 new stations were completed all over the country last week with the help of the private sector, bringing the total number of stations to 2,436. The new stations, which became operational in Azerbaijan, Tehran, Shiraz, Gilan and Golestan provinces, added 17,000 cubic meters of CNG to the country's total capacity. Reportedly, as much as 20 million cubic meters of CNG are consumed in the country daily. CNG stations can supply over 2.74 million cubic meters of gas per hour and if the stations work 14 hours a day, daily supply capacity would be around 40 mcm. CNG is projected to comprise up to 35% of Iran's total fuel consumption by the end of the Sixth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2017-22).  Privately-owned CNG stations can charge customers 1,400 rials (4 cents) per cubic meter, yet the state-owned stations charge customers 600 rials (1 cent) for the same amount.