Countdown for Phase 21 of South Pars
Since a decade ago, Iran has seen gas consumption by households and businesses treble in some provinces as soon as it gets cold in autumn and winter. Therefore, Iranian petroleum industry officials had to impose restrictions on gas distribution to households, industries, power plants and petrochemical plants in order to avoid any gas supply disruption.
Since two years ago, Iran has been supplying natural gas to power plants in order to contribute to clean air mainly in big cities.
Hamid-Reza Araqi, managing director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), has said that natural gas currently makes up 70% of Iran’s energy. South Pars gas field, an offshore giant reservoir shared with neighboring Qatar, accounts for more than 60% of Iran’s gas needs.
Currently, Iran’s average gas consumption is four times bigger than the world’s average and nearly 18 times higher than Japan’s. Per capita gas consumption in Iran is 10 times higher than that of European countries. In winters, gas consumption in Iran equals the total gas consumption across the European Union. A review of gas consumption data shows how serious this issue is. Iran is the third largest consumer of gas in the world, behind the US and Russia.
Given this trend of consumption, imagine what would happen in the country if gas production is not increased to catch up with the growth in gas consumption by households, power plants and other industries. To that effect, Iran’s petroleum industry has focused on gas production hike in order to meet domestic demand and export gas.
Development of the offshore South Pars gas field is currently the most important project for Iranian petroleum industry officials. All Iranian officials are now determined to push ahead with the development of the remaining phases of South Pars in the shortest possible time. South Pars is now the top priority of Iran’s gas industry.
Qatar, which is operating its own share of South Pars, is currently recovering 650 mcm/d of gas, twice Iran’s recovery, from this field.
Despite sanctions and low oil price in global markets, the administration of President Hassan Rouhani has managed to push ahead with its gas projects in recent years. Iran’s petroleum industry managers have made great achievements by prioritizing the development phases of South Pars. For example, last winter, production from South Pars increased by 100 mcm/d. Development of new phases of South Pars is expected to raise the country’s output by another 100 mcm/d in the current calendar year to March 2016.
Phases 20&21 are expected to be producing over 20 mcm/d next winter. Iran’s petroleum industry has pinned hope on this double phase for gas production in cold days this year.
Phases 20&21 have already reported to have been completed at more than 76%. Iranian engineers are doing their utmost for the start of production by Phase 21. To that end, they have installed 171 pieces of 12-meter pipes per day. According to plans, installation of onshore and offshore pipelines in this phase is expected to be over in five months. Some time ago, shore pulling operations in Phases 20&21 of South Pars were done.
An important point with this project is the operation of its utility units over the coming two months. Boilers of this phase are also expected to become operational soon.
Offshore Section of Phases 20&21
In parallel with 77% progress in the onshore section of Phases 20&21 development of South Pars, the development of the offshore section of these phases has been defined in four areas.
The first terrain of sweetening in the refinery of these phases is to come on-stream this year. To that effect, efforts are under way for the operation of all platforms of these phases, each with a capacity of 1 bcf. Each of these platforms is 80% complete and of course they are 70% complete in construction.
Shore pulling in phases 20&21, offshore pipe laying in Phase 21, onshore pipe laying in both phases, installation of offshore structures and construction of top drives are the main four fields of work in the offshore section of Phases 20&21 of South Pars.
Shore pulling in Phase 20 of South Pars was done recently for 5.7 kilometers. After that, shore pulling was done in Phase 21. Then, ordinary pipe laying got under way. So far 17 kilometers of pipe laying has been done.
According to the latest reports, the pipeline for Phase 21 is 103 kilometers long; whose construction would last 2 to 3 months. Moreover, after the end of pipe-laying operations in Phase 21, 96 kilometers of pipe-laying will be done.
The load-up of pipes for the offshore section of Phases 20&21 is under way at Khorramshahr Yard. More than 4,800 branches of pipe (nearly 59 kilometers), out of a total of 16,798 branches, have already been loaded out. The load-out operations from Khorramshahr Yard to the site are still under way. To that effect, 12 barges are in charge of load-out of pipes in Phases 20&21 of South Pars.
The operators of the offshore sector of Phases 20&21 of South Pars are also implementing onshore pipe-laying operations. Preparatory operations like leveling of the ground and load-out and transportation of onshore pipelines have already been carried out.
With the installation of the fourth three-jacket platforms in Phases 20&21 of South Pars, the installation of all these jackets was over. Installation of fixtures including four jackets with buttress, four three-jacket top drives, two bridges and two flare structures is the third major action with regard to implementing this project. At present, the flare structure and the connection bridge of the platforms and flares of these phases have been installed.
Heavy Top-drives
At present, the offshore section of Phases 20&21 of South Pars is 72.22% done. According to the latest data, construction of the platforms in these phases is also 79% complete. Meantime, pipe-laying is more than 69% done. Construction of platform for Phase 21 is more than 73.5% complete.
Top-drives in Phase 20 is more than 65% done. The objective of development of Phases 20&21 of South Pars is to produce 50 mcm/d of natural gas for feeding national gas trunkline, 77,000 b/d of gas condensate, 400 tons a day of sulfur, 1.1 million tons of liquefied gas for export and one million tons a year of ethane for feeding petrochemical plants.
The Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company (IOEC) is the contractor for the development of Phases 20&21 of South Pars gas field. IOEC is tasked with engineering, logistics, procurement, construction, installation and startup of platforms and offshore pipelines in the development phases.
IOEC installed the jacket for Phase 21 of South Pars in March 2012 and the jacket for Phase 20, a year later.