According to the National Iranian Gas Company, Alireza Shokouhian spoke at the "A Lasting Experience: Resilience and Sustainable Production" meeting. Referring to the gas industry's handling of crisis conditions, he said prior preparedness, anticipation of possible scenarios, organizational coordination and the commitment of staff in management, operations and support roles played an important part in keeping the country's gas network stable.

Noting the attack on four refineries at the South Pars Gas Complex, which knocked out about 230 million cubic meters of daily production capacity, he said that managing the emergency, preventing the crisis from spreading and returning part of the capacity to production reflected the expertise, experience and readiness of the complex's operational and support personnel.

The NIGC official called documenting the experience of the recent wars essential. He added that these experiences must be turned into practical, actionable lessons learned so that processes can be improved, strengths identified and organizational readiness raised.

Identifying infrastructure dependencies is a prerequisite for a business continuity plan

Shokouhian described drafting and completing a BCP as a fundamental priority for the gas industry. He stressed that identifying the interdependencies among units, facilities and support services, and assessing the consequences of disruption in each, are requirements for designing operational scenarios and effective crisis management plans.

He named strengthening crisis management and leadership as the industry's second strategic priority, saying: "Ongoing training, operational drills, precise definition of responsibilities and authority, and better decision-making skills for managers under pressure play a decisive role in managing a crisis successfully."

Stressing the need for coordination among operating companies, service-providing agencies and provincial crisis management bodies, the NIGC official noted that preparedness for crises must not be confined to a single organization. Cooperation among the responsible agencies, he said, must be continuously strengthened.

Gas network stability underpins continued operation of industry and production sectors

Referring to the gas industry's role in meeting the country's energy needs, Shokouhian said about 73 percent of the country's energy, and most of the fuel needed by power plants, is supplied through the gas network, and the continued operation of industry and production sectors depends on that network's stability.

He emphasized that the mission of gas industry employees is not limited to production: protecting critical infrastructure, keeping the network stable and maintaining services to the public are an important part of the industry's strategic responsibility for the country's energy security.