Saeid Tavakoli, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, coinciding with the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, highlighted the achievements of the gas industry over the past 46 years.

He stated that gas production during this year's cold days exceeded the forecast by more than 30 million cubic meters daily. This significant achievement reflects the government's success in extracting gas upstream and ensuring its uninterrupted transmission through the network without any volume being trapped.

Tavakoli noted that the Planning Deputy of the Ministry of Petroleum had initially predicted peak gas consumption at 850 million cubic meters this year.

However, since early November, daily gas consumption in residential, commercial, and non-major industrial sectors has increased by over 75 million cubic meters, equivalent to the output of three South Pars phases compared to last year. This surge necessitates greater efforts and specialized engineering interventions.

He also pointed out that, according to meteorological data, last year's temperatures in February were warmer than this year, and last autumn was the warmest in 50 years, making stable network management easier.

Tavakoli emphasized that no household in the country has experienced gas cuts due to shortages. He predicted that next week, with severe cold and incoming precipitation from the northwest, the period from Saturday to Tuesday could be the coldest week of the year, with residential, commercial, and small industrial consumption potentially reaching 720 million cubic meters per day.

Commissioning gas projects

Tavakoli announced that during the Ten Days of Dawn (celebrating the Islamic Revolution), 3,441 gas supply and development projects have been commissioned. These projects will provide gas to 800 villages, five cities, and 2,636 industrial units.

The official also highlighted other developmental initiatives with a total investment of over $182 million. Key projects include the upgrade of measurement equipment at the Bazargan station, the Rafsanjan operational center, the Siraf gas condensate export terminal, the 80-kilometer Rasht-Chelavand transmission line, the 104-kilometer Banaruyeh transmission line in Fars Province, and the National Iranian Gas Company's data transmission center, valued at 2.8 trillion rials, to ensure data transmission stability.

Tavakoli also revealed the start of 543 gas supply projects, including 24 villages and 519 industrial units, during the Ten Days of Dawn. He expressed hope that with adequate resources, these projects would also reach the operational phase.