TEHRAN (PIN) – Peteropars Company manager for logistical affairs of South Pars field’s phases 6-8 said the SPD7 platform of Phase 6 would be installed in late November.

Ali Ne’matollahi told PIN the platform of Phase 8 would be constructed this month and SPD7 would be transferred to Aghajari to inject gas into oilfields.
The company would give first priority to the running of Phase 8 to prevent gas shortage in the upcoming winter, said the official.
“According to the forecast, the first phase of the development plan of phases 6-8 is expected to come on stream by mid-December 2007,” Ne’matollahi added.
The Petropars official said the gas produced by Phase 8 would be sweetened and injected into the cross-country grid for a limited period, reiterating that the phase would be given top priority to meet the growing need in winter.
“Hookup operations of SPD9 platform of Phase 8 are underway,” said the logistics manager, explaining the operations included the connection of different parts of the platform with the wells and pipelines transferring gas to the land.
The platform of Phase 8 was installed last May and phases 2 and 3 were supplying its gas at early stage, said the manager, adding the gas of Phase 8 would be transferred to the refinery next month.
When phases 6-8 go on stream, 104 million cubic meters of sour gas would be pumped to Aghajari through a 56-inch pipeline daily and would be injected into oilfields.
Iran’s acting oil minister said phases 6-8 made almost 98 percent progress, with Phase 6 being fully ready for operation.
“Phase 6 has been completely developed and progress of phases 7 and 8 had surpassed 97.5 percent,” the Petroleum Ministry quoted Gholamhossein Nozari as saying.
The caretaker added the refineries of the three phases were at the production stage and would come on stream within the next three months.
Nozari expressed his satisfaction with the pipe-laying operations in the three phases, saying a trivial problem had occurred in the third pipeline that would be removed immediately.
Phase 6 would be supplied with the required gas as of late Nov. and it would play a logistical role for refineries of South Pars field, said the official.
Nozari paid a visit to under construction gas refineries of phases 6-8 and development plans of phases 9 and 10 on Oct. 8.
Platforms of phases 9 and 10 would be loaded by Nov. 21, said the project manager.
Morteza Emami told PIN that Phase 9 of South Pars gas field would become operational in the upcoming winter and Phase 10 would come on stream in fall of 2008.
He added phases 9 and 10 had made 82 percent progress and their platforms would be loaded and installed within a month.
“Up to now, 11 wells with 15,000 meter depth have been drilled and the drilling operations of four more wells are carried out by the end of current fall if wellhead valves are supplied,” Emami said.
The drilling operations in phases 9 and 10 started on March 24, 2007, said the manager, adding, “Out of 24 wells, 22 are drilled by the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC).
“This is the first time an Iranian team manages and funds a project in the presence of foreign companies.”
According to him, phases 9 and 10 of SP gas field are funded in the finance form and semi-governmental companies are implementing the project.
POGC Managing Director Ali Vakili expressed hope the two phases would start work soon to meet the growing need in winter.
Phases 9 and 10 have been designed to produce two billion cubic feet of gas a day. The two phases are to yield 50 million cubic meters of methane, 2,600 tons of ethane, 1,200 tons of butane, 2,000 tons of propane, 77,000 tons of gas condensates, and 400 tons of solid sulfur daily.
According to the plan, 28 gas refineries, 25 petrochemical projects, and three liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants will be constructed in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone.
Phases 1-5 have so far come on stream and phases 6-8 will become operational by the upcoming winter.
South Pars is the world’s largest gas field, holding almost half of Iran’s gas reserves.
Located in the strategic Persian Gulf, South Pars -- the largest known gas reserves -- is shared between Iran and the tiny emirate of Qatar. It contains 1,900 TCF of in place gas and 56 billion barrels of in situ condensate in the shared region.
Production started from South Pars after commissioning of Phase 2 in Dec. 2002.