Iran inaugurates onshore refining facilities for recent South Pars phases

According to the Iranian Oil Ministry’s news website SHANA, the President of Iran Hassan Rouhani has inaugurated the onshore refining facilities of phases 13 and 22–24 of the supergiant South Pars gas field, located in the Persian Gulf. Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh accompanied the President at the ceremony, which was held in the southern city of Assaluyeh where the refinery is located.

Each of the phases will produce 56mn cm/d of natural gas, 75,000 b/d of gas condensate and 400 t/d of sulphur. They are also expected to yield 1.05mn t/y of LPG (propane and butane) and 1mn t/y of ethane to feed petrochemical plants.

Iran has invested $10bn in the two megaprojects, which exceed 2% of the country's gross domestic product, according to the webite.

Zangeneh reported that Iran’s gas production capacity from South Pars will exceed 750mn cm/d by late 2019, exceeding that of Qatar, its partner in the joint development project. He also noted that Iran’s current gas production capacity stands at 841mb cm/d and is expected to reach 950mn cm/d by 2020.

The Minister of Petroleum also said Iran’s petrochemical production capacity currently stands at 31mn t/y and is forecast to reach 92mn t/y by 2021.