Addressing ceremony marking the 50th Anniversary of Establishment of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Zanganeh said export of gas to the neighboring countries and the LNG project are the priorities.
He said in the first three months of this year, 3,193,000 tons of petrochemical products were produced by the companies relying on gas for their activity, while the figure was 2,868,000 tons in the same period last year.
He added that for the time being industries do not have any problem with the feedstock and petrochemical production is on the rise.
The Minister then referred to operation of the phases 19, 18, 20 and 21 of South Pars gas field and said daily gas production from the field stood at 241 million cubic meters in 2012, at 262,000 cubic meters in 2013 and 356 million cubic meters in 2015.
He said in the 11th government 300 million cubic meters will be added to daily gas production from South Pars.
He then elaborated on gas consumption inside the country and said it reached 145 billion cubic meters in 2013 from 100 billion cubic meters in 2005, 46 billion cubic meters in 1997, 4.5 billion cubic meters in 1989 and 2.5 billion cubic meters in 1978.
He predicted that gas consumption of the country will amount to 184 billion cubic meters in 2017, which means the consumption has doubled in the 2013-2017 period.
He said his ministry plans to bring the population covered by gas up to more than 95 percent.
He added that gas production from South Pars was 41 billion cubic meters in 2005, but rose to 95 billion cubic meters in 2016 and 130 billion cubic meters in 2015.
He then said gas refining capacity is predicted to reach 1000 million cubic meters in 2017 from 548 million cubic meters in 2013 and 31 million cubic meters in 1978.
By Fars News Agency
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