TEHRAN Oct. 6 (Shana) � Gas refining companies affiliated to the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) produced more than 1.337 million metric tons of LPG in the first half of the current year (March 21-September 22) marking a record 70 percent increase compared to the corresponding period last year.
�Gas output was also up by 4 percent with a total of 82.22 billion cubic meters (bcm) during the period,� NIGC Deputy Managing Director for Operations Abdolhossein Samari said.
Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh said the country�s natural gas production capacity will climb to one billion cubic meters (bcm) per day in four years� time.

He said the ministry�s first program is to increase crude oil and gas condensate production capacity. To that effect, the natural gas export will amount to 80 billion cubic meters by 1400 Iranian year (March 2022).
The minister also said the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to support investment in its downstream oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

He said by completion of all phases of Iran�s South Pars gas field, it will produce 650,000 barrels of gas condensates, 6.7 million tons of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and 4 million tons of ethane per day.

By SHANA