According to South Pars Gas Complex’s official statistics, some 3.162 billion cubic meters of natural gas was derived and refined from the field jointly owned by Iran and Qatar.

During the period, the complex refined and pumped 2.917 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the national transmission line.

The complex also produced and exported 741.5 million barrels of gas condensates, 15,875 tons of sulfur, and 47,380 tons of LPG at the one-month time.

It also supplied Pars Petrochemical Complex with 41 million cubic meters of natural gas.

Managing director of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone said when all 28 phases of South Pars field came on stream, the field would fetch the country 40 billion dollars per annum.

Seyed Abdoljalil Razavi added the government of Iran had taken serious steps toward realization of projected investments in the region.

He said Qatar started to exploit the South Pars gas field in 1980 and had been helped by many countries while Iran was entangled in eight years of imposed war.

“Qatar has thus far invested 70 billion dollars in the field but Iran has started investments in the region since 1994 and has, thus far, invested 35 billion dollars in South Pars region which is 30 hectares in area,” he said.

Razavi added, “Due to vastness of Iran and Qatar’s activities, Iranian engineers should double up their efforts.”

Managing director of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone said five gas refineries were currently operating in the region, which fetched 20 million dollars every day.

The official added 190 billion rials (20.5 million dollars) had been allocated to various infrastructure projects in Bushehr Province during the previous calendar year (ended March 20, 2007).

Iran’s Minister of Petroleum Seyed Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh announced that Phase 6 of South Pars field would come on stream by June 5.

Gas would be injected into Phase 6 of SP, said the minister, adding Phase 7 would start its production two months after the Phase 6 exploitation and Phase 8 would be put into operation in winter.

“The project is progressing rapidly as 76 percent of the operations has been done,” said Vaziri-Hamaneh, expressing hope the pipe-laying of phases 6-8 would be complete when the refinery in Aghajari was constructed.

He pointed to negotiations with the managers of phases 9-10 development plans, predicting Phase 9 would join the national gas grid by late December 2007.