Gas Transmission Record Smashed
Mahnaz Mohammad-Qoli
Being in charge of running more than 37,000 kilometers of pipeline and 86 gas compressor stations, Iran’s gas transmission industry ranks the first in Asia and the Middle East, and the fourth globally behind the US, Russia and Canada. The most important task assigned to the Iranian Gas Transmission Company (IGTC) is to purchase natural gas, ethane, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and gas liquids from domestic and foreign suppliers and sell them to domestic customers and export terminals and conduct swap process.
The following is the text of "Iran Petroleum" interview with Mehdi Jamshidi-Dana, the CEO of IGTC.
Given the existence of 10 gas transmission zones in Iran, could you tell us the current capacity of IGTC gas transmission? How much gas did IGCT deliver to end users during the first 10 months of the current calendar year?
The company has capacity to transmit more than 280 bcm/y of gas. In the current calendar year, 212 bcm of gas was transmitted during the first 10 months of the year, up 5% year-on-year.
How much is the maximum gas transferred in a single day? When was it?
On February 21, 851.4 mcm/d of sweet gas was fed into trunklines, which set a record even 7% higher year-on-year.
What about intelligent pigging and leak detection in the current calendar year?
Pigging was carried out on 8,372km of Iran Gas Trunkline-3 (IGAT-3), IGAT-4 and IGAT-7. Through this operation, 1,596km of pipeline was inspected while 3,751km has undergone cleaning pigging. Leak detention was planned for 37,434km in the current calendar year. Until March 6, more than 35,778km underwent leak detection, i.e. nearly 95% of the target.
What measures have been undertaken at compressor stations, and what technical modifications were made to guarantee sustainable gas supply in winter?
The planned maintenance work was done at gas compressor stations and on pipelines despite the coronavirus pandemic. To that effect, 64 turbines and 45 gas compressors were repaired. Furthermore, 33 plans were envisaged with regard to pipeline repairs, coating and intelligent pigging, 30 of which has been completed while 3 are under way. These operations are under way in the gas transmission districts 3, 2 and 9, IGAT-2, Rey-Semnan and IGAT-1. Intelligent pigging was also done on parts of IGAT-3 and on full IGAT-4. The second line of Tehran also underwent pigging. Meanwhile, overhaul resulting from intelligent pigging of IGAT-4 and IGAT-7 was carried out. Reparation on IGAT-3, Tehran’s 4th and 5th pipelines were also done. Regarding replacement of coating on IGAT-1 and IGAT-2, a total of 90km was handled in Sarkhoun-Rafsanjan, Qeshm-Bandar Abbas and Sarakhs-Neka pipelines.
What are the plans envisaged for next calendar year (starting on 21 March 2021)?
In the maintenance of gas compressor installations, 80 turbines and 60 gas compressors would be overhauled. Regarding maintenance of pipelines, a total of 1,100 cases of reparation on IGAT-4, 134 cases on IGAT-7, 818 cases on IGAT-3, 1,452 km of intelligent pigging, 123km of coating replacement (including 42km for Sarkhoun and 24 km for IGAT-2) would be done. Meantime, 8 pipeline safety projects would be carried out in District 9.
Could you tell us about outsourcing at IGTC?
Q&M outsourcing is on the IGTC agenda with an approach of physical assets management and compliant with governing documents including the bylaw on outsourcing Petroleum Ministry activities and in line with corporate strategies. In this regard, by devising a risk assessment model, all installations at gas compressor stations and pipeline production centers have been studied and low-risk installations and pipelines with shortage of manpower have been subject to outsourcing. A 10-year outsourcing roadshow has been devised, which is to be updated next calendar year. The installations at the Safa Shahr-4 gas compressor station were outsourced in 2019, yielding effective results. Furthermore, outsourcing Semnan’s installations would get under way in coming months and while outsourcing is planned for five BOT installations, including Kuhdasht, Deilam, Bid-Boland, Ahvaz and Hosseinieh.
How is the process of outsourcing and selection of companies?
A major risk with outsourcing is the lack of outsource companies or refusal of qualified companies to bid for outsourcing. Therefore, a general assessment was needed on the interest and capability of private companies, as well as market potential. Direct relationship between the outsourcer and the outsource companies and potential outsource companies must be constantly maintained. A databank created for that purpose should be regularly updated to record the specifications and track record of companies. About 29 companies attended outsourcing meetings. No quality assessment was carried out, but based on the