Iran, Russia Sign 6 Oil/Gas MOUs
Iran and Russia signed six memorandums of understanding for oil and gas cooperation during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Tehran, an Iranian deputy minister of petroleum said.
Amir-hossein Zamani-nia, who is deputy minister for international affairs and commerce, said the first MOU, signed by Iran's Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh and Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak, on strategic cooperation in energy sector.
President Putin made a one-day visit to Tehran to attend a tripartite summit with Azerbaijan.
The MOUs signed between Iran and Russia are on cooperation in research and development of oil and gas fields.
"Cooperation between the three countries in different sectors has so far yielded positive and useful results for all the parties," Putin said at a news conference. "North-South transit corridor connecting the three countries was tested last year after the dispatch of a number of containers from India and Russia and from Russia to other countries. That is a profitable project," he added.
Zamani-nia said National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed two MOUs with gas giant Gazprom and two with oil company Rosneft.
CEO of NIOC Ali Kardor and CEO of Rosneft Igor Sechin signed the MOU between the two companies.
Zamani-Nia said the NIOC-Rosneft MOU was beyond a memorandum, adding: "One of MOUs signed between Kardor and Sechin is for non-disclosure."
The Russian government holds 69.5% of Rosneft with the rest belonging to Britain's BP.
Zamani-Nia also said that he had signed an MOU with Vitaly Markelov, deputy CEO of Gazprom.
Gazprom which has the most extended network for gas transmission in the world is also the largest producer of natural gas in the world.
As the largest exporter of gas to the European countries, Gazprom supplies 25% of Europe's natural gas needs.
Forouzan Output Set to Rise
The output of Forouzan oil field is expected to increase after 18F platform becomes operational, CEO of Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) said.
Hamid Bovard said the jacket of the platform had been already installed in the jointly owned field.
"With the installation of this jacket, arrangements have been made for the installation of the 18F platform topside at Forouzan oil field to be followed by drilling new wells and increased output," he said.
Bovard said the Forouzan output was expected to increase by around 7,000 b/d after new wells have been spudded.
"After jackets, piles and other equipment, weighing 1,950 tonnes, are loaded out on the Iran International General Contractor Company (IGC) yard in Qeshm Island, marine transport operations were handled by Sadaf company and the jacket was successfully installed," he said.
Bovard said the design, commodity procurement and installation of subsea pipelines and cables had been carried out by IGC contractors.
IOOC ordered the platform to IGC in 2012 and the project was complete in early 2016.
Located 100 kilometers southwest of Kharg Island, Forouzan is shared by Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Iran, Ansaldo Sign Flare Gas Deal
Four major Iranian energy companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on October 18 with Italian turbine manufacturer Ansaldo Energia to modernize their equipment, as well as collect and convert flaring gas for power generation.
The MoU was signed between the Italian company, Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), the Iranian Central Oil Fields Company (ICOFC), National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) and the Iran Fuel Conservation Organization (IFCO).
One of objectives of signature of this MOU is to gather flare gas from Phase 12 of South Pars gas field to be used for generating electricity and modernizing oil and gas equipment.
By applying its technology of converting flare gas to electricity, Ansaldo will in the first step generate 600 MW of electricity and in the second step nearly 1,000 MW.
Russia, Iran to Study Caspian Oil
Two memorandums of understanding have been signed between the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russia's Lukoil to conduct studies in the Caspian Sea as well as Abadan Plain.
The NIOC Directorate of Exploration announced it would lead the studies, while Khazar Exploration and Production Company (KEPCO) would be involved in the studies on the Caspian oil.
Saleh Hendi, director of exploration at NIOC, said that Iranian and Russian companies would hold talks for exploring several offshore oil fields in the Persian Gulf.
"The NIOC has so far signed a sufficient number of MOUs with Russian companies and it is now waiting for the signature of contracts and implementation of projects," he said, adding that talks were under way with Lukoil, Rosneft, Zarubezhneft, Tatneft, Gazprom and Gazprom Neft for the development of more than 10 oil and gas fields.
Hendi said that Mansouri, Ab- Teimour, Kish, Yaran, Maroun, the oil layer of South Pars, Kupal, Aban, Esfandiar, Paydar Gharb, Dehloran, North Pars, Azar, Changouleh and Cheshmeh Khosh are among projects Iran and Russia have been discussing.
"Meantime, Russian companies could increase their share in Iran's oil and gas market in partnership with European, Chinese and Southeast Asian companies," he added.
South Pars to Be Complete by March 2019
The deputy managing director of National Iranian Oil Company for development and engineering has said that the remaining phases of South Pars gas field would be developed by March 2019.
Gholam-Reza Manouchehri said gas production from each phase of South Pars would earn Iran $5 million a day in revenue.
"The revenue from each phase of South Pars, including liquid fuel not used in power plants and elsewhere, is $10 million a day," he added.
He added that a three-phase plan was under way for the development of the phases 13 and 22-24 of the giant offshore gas field.
"In the first step, the operation for the processing of sour gas produced in phases 6 to 8 will be done. That would help accelerate the startup of refineries," said Manouchehri. "In the second stage, the first train of each phase of offshore gas in the same project is expected to become operational. That takes up added significance due to the start of cold season."