No Change in Iran Oil Policy
The newly appointed director of international affairs at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has said that Iran’s policy would not change and would go ahead with its current trend.
“Development of past activities and negotiations and accelerating them are on the agenda,” Saeid Khoshrou said.
He said that leading the NIOC international affairs was one of the toughest jobs during years of sanctions.
“Working under the current circumstances is definitely not as difficult as it was during that period,” he added.
Iran brought its crude oil sales to 2.3 mb/d before sanctions were toughened on Iran. Now, NIOC has brought this figure to 2.4 mb/d.
Khoshrou replaced Mohsen Qamsari who has recently retired.
Oil, Condensate Exports Hit Decades High
Iran’s first vice-president has said that oil and gas condensate exports have reached a record high since the 1979 Islamic Revolution over the past one year.
Es’haq Jahangiri was speaking on the occasion of the first anniversary of the implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal with six world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“Over the past years, under the pretext of Iran’s effort to acquire nuclear knowhow, heavy pressure was exerted upon the Iranian nation and the country experienced the toughest unjust sanctions in the final years of the previous administration,” he said.
“During years of sanctions, 1 mb/d of oil was exported, which was set to decline in case sanctions had continued,” he said, adding that Iran regained its market share post-JCPOA.
Jahangiri also said that Iran’s shipping restrictions had been lifted. He said Iran’s exports and imports had exceeded 100 million tons.
Iran Oil Output Hits 4 mb/d
Iran’s petroleum minister recently said the country’s oil production reached 3.9 mb/d by January 25.
Bijan Zangeneh also said that Iran would be earning $41 billion from oil and gas condensate sales by 21 March 2017 when Iran’s calendar year ends.
“Iran has no crude oil storage floating on water and it has only gas condensate which will be sold up by the end of the [Iranian] year,” he said.
Zangeneh said Iran was receiving its oil money regularly and its petrodollars faced no hurdle.
He added that Iran’s oil production capacity in the West Karoun area was expected to increase by the end of the current Iranian year.
The minister said National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) had signed documents for cooperation with foreign companies including a consortium of France’s Total, China’s CNPC and Iran’s Petropars for the development of Pahse 11 of South Pars gas field and also with Persia Oil and Gas Industries Development Company for the development of Yaran, Maroun and Koupal oil fields.
“Furthermore, a memorandum has been signed for studying five oil fields with a company affiliated with Khatam al-Anbia Construction HQ,” he said.
Zangeneh said Azadegan oil field is set to be put out to tender soon. Iran shares Azadegan with Iraq.
Noting that 11 phases of South Pars have been developed under the administration of President Hassan Rouhani, the minister said phases 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the giant reservoir would become operational in coming months.
Japan Receives Iran Condensate
Iran has started exporting condensate – some sort of ultra light oil - from two newly launched phases of its giant South Pars gas field to Japan.
Pirouz Mousavi, the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Terminals Company (NIOTC), said the consignment sent to Japan contained 160,000 barrels of condensate from South Pars Phases 20 and 21.
Mousavi added that a 300-ton Japanese vessel had taken the consignment from Phases 20 and 21, as well as another from Phases 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Mousavi further added that the vessel – named Fujikawa – was also to load 650,000 barrels of crude oil from Iran’s Forouzan oil field before leaving for Japan.
Iran Mulls $55bn Petchem Investment
Iran’s deputy petroleum minister says the country needs to attract some $55 billion worth of investment to develop its thriving petrochemical sector.
“We hope to reach the 150-million-ton production capacity within 10 years. We need nearly $55 billion worth of investment in the petrochemical industry to implement new projects and expand output capacity,” Marzieh Shahdaei said.
“To complete unfinished petrochemical projects, we need $20 billion worth of investment,” the head of National Petrochemical Company noted.
Tehran has already unveiled plans to become the leading producer of petrochemicals in the Middle East by significantly expanding the range and volume of its petrochemical output.
Iran exported some $4.3 billion worth of petrochemicals during the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 20, 2016.
Iran Oil Exports to Europe Up 10%
Iran shipped 767,000 b/d of crude oil to its European customers in December month-on-month, inching closer to its pre-sanctions export levels to the continent.
The major OPEC producer stepped up Europe-bound exports by 10% in December or roughly 76,000 b/d, the Ministry of Petroleum stated in a report.
Turkey and Italy were the top importers at 190,000 b/d. Spain and Greece each bought 97,000 b/d.
Iran used to sell around 800,000 b/d to European buyers before the tightening of international sanctions in 2011 and 2012.
Tehran has staged a strong rebound in oil output and exports after sanctions were lifted in January 2016.
French energy company Total S.A., Italian oil majors Eni and Saras, Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum, Russia's Lukoil, Spanish refiner Cepsa, Royal Dutch Shell, Hungary’s MOL and Turkey's Tupras are on the list of Iran's crude oil customers.