National Iranian Gas Company has started supplying compressed natural gas through pipelines to about 1,000 households in the city of Zabol in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, governor general of the province said.
"Three thousand more families will join the CNG grid by the end of 2019 when the second phase of the project becomes operational," Ahmad Ali Mouhebati was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Laying CNG pipes in the cities of Saravan, Zabol and Khash is estimated to cost $700 million. This is the first time some cities in this part of the country are being supplied with CNG via pipelines.
“NIGC fulfilled its pledged to deliver CNG to Zabol in the second half of this year, and we hope rest of the plan will be completed on time,” Mouhebati added, noting that agent banks are obliged to lend 4,000 households in deprived areas $500 a piece so that they can have their homes equipped with gas pipelines.
According to the governor general, CNG delivery is a temporary measure to provide gas to the deprived regions until the main plan to supply natural gas to consumers via pipelines is implemented.
Noting that to implement the natural gas delivery plan, $450 million has been spent on laying pipes in the region, the official expressed the hope that most cities in Sistan-Baluchestan will be connected to the national grid by 2021.
“NIGC has said that it will supply gas to all areas in Zahedan in two years, albeit if it does not face hurdles,” the senior government official said.
CNG is made by compressing natural gas (which is mainly composed of methane) to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure.
