TEHRAN (MNA) -- The Saracheh natural gas reservoir project will be launched in Qom Province during the next Iranian calendar year (starts March 21, 2007), the planning director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said on Saturday.

Asghar Soheilipur told the Mehr News Agency it is estimated that 4.5 million cubic meters per day of natural gas would be extracted during the first phase of the project.

Upon completion of the project, peak production is expected to hit 20 million cubic meters per day, he added.