South Pars Phase 11 on verge of producing 1b cubic feet of gas

South Pars Phase 11 on verge of producing 1b cubic feet of gas

TEHRAN- South Pars Phase 11 has witnessed a significant production surge and simultaneous developmental progress during the 14th government. Production at Location B, which stood at around 400 million cubic feet per day during the 12th and 13th governments, has now exceeded 915 million cubic feet per day in the 14th government. According to the schedule, with the connection of the 12th well in the coming weeks, it will reach maximum production of 1 billion cubic feet per day.

At Location A, the 4,000-ton jacket has been installed offshore, and the construction progress of the topside, which was about 4% at the start of the 14th government, has now reached nearly 50%.

According to IRNA, quoting the Oil Ministry, South Pars Phase 11 is considered one of the country's key gas development projects due to its location in the border section of the shared South Pars field.

The development of this phase was pursued in previous years with the presence of companies such as Total and CNPC, but the withdrawal of these companies following sanctions affected the project's progress. Subsequently, the phase's development continued relying on the capabilities of Iranian companies, with the Petropars Group, a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company, taking over the project's execution.

During the 12th and 13th governments, Location B produced approximately 400 million cubic feet per day using the Phase 12D jacket and a platform transferred from Location 12C. In the 14th government, with continued drilling, well completions, and their gradual connection to existing facilities, production at this location has reached over 915 million cubic feet per day. According to the project schedule, with the connection of the 12th well in the coming weeks, production will reach 1 billion cubic feet per day—the maximum production capacity of Location B.

Simultaneously, the development of Location A has also followed a remarkable trajectory. At the start of the 14th government, the jacket for this location had about 35% progress and had not yet reached the uprighting stage, while topside construction was in its early phases with about 4% progress. Now, the jacket, weighing approximately 4,000 tons, has been installed at its offshore site, and topside construction progress during the 14th government has risen from about 4% to nearly 50%. Over 700 meters of piling have been completed for the jacket installation.

The advancement of this section of the project was carried out under conditions where Phase 11 faced sanctions-related restrictions, regional threats, and security challenges. During the 40-day "Third Imposed War" [referring to recent conflicts], the contractor's site for the 11A topside construction was struck by several rockets, but construction operations did not halt, and the project's execution continued.

On the topside front, in addition to physical construction progress, a significant portion of the project's procurement items—especially long-lead equipment—has been finalized. These equipment pieces are currently being manufactured, tested, and transported to the contractor's site to prepare the topside for final stages.

According to the execution plan, topside progress will reach approximately 80% at the time of load-out, and after transportation, installation, and offshore commissioning, Location A will enter the production phase.

Initial production at this location will begin with 4 to 6 wells, and drilling of subsequent wells will continue in phases. The project estimates that on average, one new production well will come online every four months, with drilling continuing for about three years until the platform's nominal capacity is fully achieved.

South Pars Phase 11 is part of the Petropars Group's track record in developing South Pars. Petropars has been involved in a significant portion of this field's development projects both onshore and offshore, with over half of the development plans for the South Pars gas field's phases in coastal and offshore sections carried out by this group.

What has been achieved in Phase 11 during the 14th government can be summarized in three main indicators: increasing production at Location B from about 400 million cubic feet per day during the 12th and 13th governments to over 915 million cubic feet per day in the 14th government, moving toward maximum production of 1 billion cubic feet with the connection of the 12th well; installing the 4,000-ton jacket at Location A; and advancing topside construction progress during the 14th government from about 4% to nearly 50%. This trajectory, alongside continued drilling and well completions, will increase Phase 11's production capacity in the coming years.

The South Pars gas field is a supergiant natural gas accumulation located in the Persian Gulf, shared between Iran and Qatar. It is the world's single largest gas accumulation with over 2,000 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of recoverable resources. The field is being developed in 24 phases, and it is the foundation of Iran's energy supply, providing approximately 70-80% of the country's domestic gas needs.

Phase 11 is the last undeveloped phase of this shared field and is strategically important due to its location on the maritime border. Initially, a $4.8 billion contract was signed in 2017 with a consortium led by France's Total and China's CNPC, but both companies withdrew following the re-imposition of US sanctions, leaving Iran's domestic company, Petropars, to execute the project.

The development of Phase 11 has seen significant progress recently.

MA

source: tehrantimes.com