Iran to Surpass Qatar in South Pars Gas Production

Iran is expected to surpass Qatar in gas production from the massive offshore South Pars gas field, which is shared by the two countries.

Press TV quoted Managing-Director of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) Mousa Souri as saying that Iran’s gas recovery from South Pars would equal Qatar’s after five new phases of the giant field come on stream.

He added that the development of phases 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of South Pars would add nearly 200 million cubic meters per day (mcmpd) of sour gas to the shared field’s output on the Iranian side. Iran is currently producing 300 mcmpd of gas from South Pars.

Souri said seven new offshore rigs are to start operation in South Pars before the end of the current Persian calendar year (ends March 20, 2013).

Press TV further reported citing a senior Iranian lawmaker that all the 28 phases of Iran’s South Pars gas field will have become operational by March 2015.

Ruhollah Abbaspour, the spokesman for Iran's Majlis Industrial and Mining Committee, said on Monday that 10 phases of the gas field are currently operating at full capacity.