TEHRAN Injection of gas into oil wells is the most economical method of utilizing energy and it is principally the only way to protect national oil reserves.

Oil reserves expert Ali-Mohammad Saeidi told members of Iran's Economic Energy Association recently that the only way for exploitation of about 45 billion barrels of oil from the wells is injection of gas as much as necessary.

Saeidi said the wells required at least about 10 billion cubic feet of gas a day.

He said the amount of gas is obtained from reserves in South Pars, North Pars, G and F reserves in the Persian Gulf, the gases which are mostly burnt up and from other reserves in Iran.

He added in exchange for each two to 4,000 feet of the injected gas, one extra barrel of crude oil can be obtained.

The official said given the price of each barrel of oil at $24, each 1,000 cubic feet of gas will be between about six to 12 dollars in value.

He said 700 trillion cubic feet of Iran's gas include gas oil, gas from oil wells, independent gas deposits as well as liquid gas.

He called for sound and principled political, technical, economic and energy planning for gas exploitation in Iran.