Plans for the development of remaining phases of the giant South Pars gas field are under way by National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). Extensive activities are under way at Bushehr Yard where 10 platforms for SP22-24, SP13 and SP14 have been under construction in recent months. Two platforms have already been loaded out for SP13.
The deputy CEO of NIOC for engineering and development, Gholam-Reza Manouchehri, has announced that the South Pars output would increase by 3 bcf/d up to March 2018 when new Iranian year begins.
He said the increased gas production was planned to meet domestic need in winter.
Manouchehri said the remaining platforms would have been moved offshore before next March, adding that six new phases would come online at South Pars with a combined production capacity of 6 bcf/d.
“Load-out of Platforms 13B and 13D, as the main and the satellite platforms of SP13, has been already done and these platforms would be installed on FLB124 to be transferred to their location in the Persian Gulf waters,” he said.
He noted that all stages from designing to construction of the two giant offshore platforms weighing about 2,200 tonnes each have been handled by Iranian engineers. He said that the equipment and commodities used in the construction of the platforms had been supplied by domestic manufacturers.
Once installed, the two platforms would increase the South Pars gas production capacity by 28 mcm/d. Other platforms under construction at South Pars are 14D, 23 and 24A.
Manouchehri said transfer of platforms by vessels had become difficult in the past, adding: “But owning to the client’s assistance, on-site engineers developed creative methods for the transfer of 2,500-tonne platforms from land to sea.”
“The commodities purchased from abroad became operational by private companies at high standard levels,” he said.
“At Bushehr Yard, 1,700 service workers are currently employed. When there was more activity, the figure stood at 3,500. There is equipment for both onshore and offshore purposes,” he added.
Manouchehri said Iranian engineers were doing a great job at South Pars, which would contribute to higher gas supply in winter.
Manouchehri said an obligation for a 100 mcm/d output hike in South Pars required round-the-clock work and efforts.
“Despite challenges lying ahead, contractors and operators have voiced their readiness for achieving this objective,” he added.
SP13 Case to Close
The third train of sweetening at SP13 has also become operational and the last train is set to come online by November. The first two trains have been processing about 16 mcm/d of sour gas, which would soon reach 25 mcm/d.
Manouchehri said SP13 was more than 92% complete in the refinery section. The recovery capacity of each of main and satellite platforms in SP13 is 500 mcm/d.
The installation of offshore platforms 13B and 13D is to be complete in November, allowing rich gas recovery from the South Pars offshore reservoir, which is shared with neighboring Qatar. That would bring SP13 gas recovery capacity to 1 bcf/d.
SP14, Most Iranian Phase
Manouchehri also expressed hope that the refinery of SP14 would start operation soon.
“The onshore section of SP14 is at a good stage of physical progress. One platform of this phase is producing with a capacity of 14 mcm/d while Platform C, which had been loaded out in September, is to come online soon,” he said. “Therefore, the capacity of recovery from the two platforms of this phase would reach 28 mcm/d, which is equal to the output of a conventional South Pars phase.”
The third offshore platform of SP14 is to come on-stream in winter to increase gas production from this phase to 42 mcm/d.
Installation of satellite platform 14C, the second platform of SP14, will be done after load-out and transfer to location.
When compared with other development phases at South Pars, SP14 has used maximum techno-engineering potential and domestic manufacturing. The manufacturing of more than 95% of refinery equipment including metal structures, pumps, power cables and instruments, drums, pressure tanks, towers and boilers has been assigned to Iranian companies manufacturing equipment for petroleum industry. No foreign contractor is currently present in the development of SP14.
SP22-24 Nearing Maximum Output
Manouchehri said a third refining train is to be added to the SP22-24, where two refining trains are already operational. The third train is to be fed by gas from SP6-8 in November.
Farhad Izadjou, who is manager of this project, said the refinery would receive gas in December.
The refinery of SP22-24 is more than 92% complete and according to plans, a sweetening train has come online, using sour gas supplied by SP6-8. In case required sour gas is received, sweetening operations would begin at the rate of 12.5 mcm/d, to be fed into national grid.
