Iran is expecting to boost its natural gas production by more than 20 percent to 360 million cubic meters per day in the next Iranian year starting in March, a top energy official said here Sunday.
Hamdollah Mohammadnejad, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company, said parts of Phases II and III at the giant South Pars offshore field would also be operational next year.
Mohammadnejad, who is also Iran's deputy oil minister for gas affairs, said other phases expected to be online by 2002 would add between 60 and 70 million cubic meters to Iran's daily production.
The current production of 300 million cubic meters would also be boosted by increased capacity at the massive Fajr Kangan refinery, he said, cited by the state IRNA news agency.
Iran, which holds the world's second-largest reserves of natural gas after Russia, exports very little natural gas and has been actively seeking foreign investment to boost its oil and gas production capacity.
It is trying to attract some $10 billion in outside capital for its petrochemicals sector based around the offshore South Pars field. – (AFP, Tehran)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
