NIGC to Indigenize Key Gas Equipment by 2024

The National Iranian Gas Company has planned to indigenize 29 key equipment in the gas industry by 2024, research director at the NIGC said.
“The technical know-how to manufacture the parts and equipment has been gained and several contracts worth $23 million have been signed with domestic knowledge-based companies,” Mehr News Agency quoted Mohsen Mazloom Farsibaf as saying.
“We hope that in the three-year process, the country's gas industry will no longer need to import these strategic items that were previously imported from European countries such as France and Germany,” he added.
The official said the maximum cost of producing domestic equipment is less than half that of foreign counterparts, adding that the items will have the same quality and accord with national and international standards.
NIGC have already indigenized several parts and equipment used in the gas industry and reduced the import of equipment worth $300 million per year. The indigenized equipment includes pumps, anti-corrosion steel pipes, valves, turbines, storage tanks, boilers and compressors.
The share of natural gas in Iran's energy basket is 70% and is expected to reach 85% by 2025. To achieve this goal, more equipment are required to be manufactured by domestic producers.
Despite difficulties, including geostrategic challenges and the recent coronavirus pandemic, Iran has made noticeable progress in its gas sector. 
Relying on domestic human resources, know-how and investment, Iran has reached a sustainable production level of 1 billion cubic meters of gas per day and almost 95% of Iran’s total population of 83 million have access to piped gas.