Iran boosts gas exports by 10.5 percent

TEHRAN,Jan.18(MNA)--Iran has exported some 7.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas since the beginning of the current calendar year, which started on March 21, 2011, up 10.5 percent compared with the same period last year, the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) managing director said. Imports of natural gas amounted to around 9 billion cubic meters during the mentioned period of time, NIGC head Javad Owji added. He put the country’s average daily gas production at 620 million cubic meters. The National Iranian Oil Company’s managing director Ahmad Qalebani has said that the country’s daily oil and gas outputs should amount to five million barrels and 1.47 billion cubic meters by 2015. Iranian Oil minister Rostam Qasemi has ordered all the contractors of the South Pars gas field development projects to work round the clock in three shifts to complete development of all phases, especially the phases 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Iran has attached the priority on boosting gas production capacity from its joint oilfields with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Qasemi said. Iran sits on the world's second largest natural gas reserves after Russia and is trying to grow its gas production by increasing foreign and domestic investments, especially in its South Pars gas field. The South Pars gas field is shared by Iran and Qatar. The Iranian share, which is divided into 29 phases, has about 14 trillion cubic meters of gas, or about eight percent of the total world reserves, and more than 18 billion barrels of liquefied natural gas resources.