Rahim Tabrizi told reporters that the refinery is ready to be launched and early production is conditional on receiving gas from phases 2 and 3 of South Pars gas field.

Tabrizi noted that the platform related to phase 7 of South Pars gas field was installed two weeks ago and according to current schedule, platforms for phases 6 and 8 will be launched in the near future.

The official said that onshore part of the development project had progressed 97 percent by the end of last Iranian month (ended April 20), adding, “About 52.4 percent of the project was done by domestic contractors, which was higher than contractual share of those companies (51 percent).”

Director of onshore part of phases 6 through 8 also stated that the refinery will be capable of producing one billion cubic feet (about 25 million cubic meters) gas in the next three months and will operate at full capacity before the end of the year.

Offshore installations of phases 6, 7, and 8 of South Pars gas field include three production platforms and the project also includes drilling 30 wells and building three 32-inch pipelines, 105 km each, for transfer of gas to onshore refinery in addition to three 4.5-inch pipelines for transfer of glycol solutions, the second SPM buoy for export of gas condensate and a 30-inch undersea pipeline 5.4 km long for transfer of gas condensate to the buoy.

Phases 6, 7, and 8 of South Pars gas field are supposed to produce 104 million cu. m. sour gas and 158,000 barrels condensate per day for exports as well as 1.6 million tons liquid gas (propane and butane) and liquefied petroleum gas per year, also for exports.