Meshkinfam said 200 million more cubic meters will be added to the daily gas extraction capacity of the field once all phases of it are complete.
He said by Azar, the 9th month in Iranian calendar (November 21-December 20), production of gas condensates stood at 600,000 barrels per day and it will reach 680,000 barrels per day by end of this year.
Once South Pars gas field of Iran is fully developed, one million barrels/day gas condensates, nine million tons/year ethane, 10 million tons/day LPG and 5,000 tons/day sulfur will be extracted, said Mashkinfam, adding that by end of this year, phases 17 and 18 of South Pars will be officially operational. "For the time being, gas is extracted from the phase but due to emphasis of Ministry of Petroleum for completion of all phases, once the sulfur producing unit is complete, the phase will be officially inaugurated."
As for installation of platform B17 of South Pars, which has the capacity for extraction of 14 million cubic meters of gas/day (500 million cubic feet/day), Meshkinfam said due to improper atmospheric conditions, the platform has not been installed and once the conditions are stabilized, the platform B17 will also be fixed.
Referring to problems of Iran Marine Industrial Company (SADRA) for construction of 10 platforms of South Pars, Meshkinfam said 200 million dollars should be put at the disposal of the company for the purpose but 140 million dollars have been paid.
"Full construction of the platforms and operation of all the phases will earn the country 25 million dollars a day," he added.
He said that since there is no longer any financial restrictions to dedicate necessary financial sources to the South Pars projects, the resources will be put at the disposal of contractors in proportion with progress of the projects.
He referred to pressure drop in South Pars reservoir as something natural and said officials of the Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) did know the issue well and to this end, talks are underway with an international French consultant to design related facilities to prevent gas pressure drop and cooperation with the company is underway.
He said the French company is not Total. "Total is a contractor and the referred to French company is an international consultant, that is to be busy with specialized designing of the facilities for the Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC)."
"We are now busy with conceptual designing of the project. Based on the designing, we will start basic and then advanced designing. Then we will decide how to build the pressure platform."
By end of this year, conceptual designing of pressure platform in South Pars gas field will be over, he predicted.
"We cannot speak yet of the number of gas pressure boosting platforms that are to be fixed in South Pars; the platforms might be either in complex form with each zone having a hub or there is a gas pressure boosting platform beside each platform. For the time being, we are busy mulling the case and eventually, we will choose the best model in proportion with the goals of the POGC and interests of our country."
"For construction of the pressure boosting platforms we will make maximum use of domestic potential and construction of the model is to serve as a model for other phases of South Pars. However, the POGC will alongside studies of the Total Company on the subject, follow up the issue independently in partnership with the French international consultant."
He hoped that the gas pressure boosting platforms will be fixed in phase 11 of South Pars by the next four years.
Since Iran has no experience to build pressure boosting platforms, the technology should be transferred to Iran and to this end, Total company has toured Iranian yards in Bushehr, Bandar Abbas and Khorramshahr to know of the yards' preparation for construction of the platforms.
He also referred to signing of an agreement in principle for development of phase 11 of South Pars between a consortium, consisting Total, CNPC and Petropars on November 8 and said for the time being, 80 percent of the draft agreement has been met and works are underway in connection with appendix of the contract.
He then touched on Farzad B field shared with Saudi Arabia and said technical and financial talks are underway with Indians and Iran expects the two sides will decide on development of the field.
"Farzad B development is more complicated than that of South Pars gas field. The field is totally different with South Pars gas field in terms of amount of sulfur compounds, reserves and pressure of the reserves. Gas condensates are not also among products of the field."
He referred to development of Golshan and Ferdosi fields and said development of the gas part of the fields rests with the POGC and presently, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) seeks a reliable contractor for development of the fields. Additionally, development of the fields has never been discarded from agenda of the NIOC, he added.
On Qatar's extraction of gas from South Pars gas field, he said based on the information available, Qataris enjoy the capacity for extraction of 21 billion cubic feet from the joint field.
He also touched on Qatar's limitations in gas extraction from the field and said Qatar gas exports from South Pars gas field is restricted to LNG. "This is while, Iran uses the gas extracted from the field to address domestic consumption."
He added that extraction of gas from South Pars by Qatar depends on the LNG market. "However, the country (Qatar) has the capacity to extract 600 million cubic meters of gas a day on the average and as of next year, Iran will hit the target of 600 million cubic meters/day gas extraction from South Pars gas field."
