BP annual report ranks Iran as world's number one gas reserves holder
Tehran Times reported that BP, the UK based energy giant, has slashed its global natural gas reserves estimate for the first time in decades, placing Iran at the top of the world's gas rich countries and sharply dropping Russia's classified holdings.
In its 62nd annual Statistical Review of World Energy released on Wednesday June 12th, the BP classed Iran as the world's top gas reserves holder with 33.6 trillion cubic meters.
Iran has been trying to boost its gas production by attracting foreign and domestic investments, especially in South Pars gas field.
South Pars is part of a wider gas field that is shared with Qatar. The larger field covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which are in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers, referred to as the North Dome, are in Qatar's territorial waters.
Moreover, National Iranian Gas Company said earlier in May that the country's natural gas refining capacity will climb to 1 billion cubic meters per day in 2 years time.
Mr Mehdi Jamshidi Dana, NIGC's director for coordination and supervision on production, said that the refining section of Iranian gas industry managed to register a daily output of 520 mcm during last calendar year's peak gas consumption period and the figure will reach 1 bcm per day by March 2016.
The NIGC official added that the giant offshore South Pars gas field in southern Iran is supplying 44% of domestic gas demand.
Mr Jamshidi Dana noted that Iranian gas refineries produced nearly 161 bcm of gas last calendar year, up 8% from 3 years before.
The company downgraded Russia's reserves estimate to 32.9 trillion cubic meters from 44.6 trillion cubic meters in last year's report, putting global proven gas reserves at 187.3 trillion cubic meters as of the end of 2012.
Source - Tehran Times