National Iranian Gas Company
The National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) was established in 1965 as one of the four principal companies affiliated to the Ministry of Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Iran with 25,000 million Rials initial capital. Iran has the world's second largest reserves of natural gas; these are exploited primarily for domestic use.
NIGC is responsible for the treatment, transmission, and delivery of natural gas to the domestic, industrial, and commercial sectors and power generation plants. Close to 6,230 villages and 713 cities and towns have access to natural gas.[1] NIGC does not play a role in awarding upstream gas projects; that task remains in the hands of the National Iranian Oil Company.[2] Iran has the largest gas network in the world with 30,000 kilometers of high-pressure pipelines.[3]
Iran's proven oil and gas reserves are 137 billion barrels (10% of world's total) and 41.14 trillion cubic meters (15% of world's total) respectively, which give it a unique status in the global energy supply. Iran also owns 50% of the offshore gas field of Rhum in the North Sea, which is Britain's largest untapped gas field. Natural gas production in Iran will reach 900 million cubic meter/day by 2015.[4]
History
This company, from the beginning of its establishment until now (2006), has gradually achieved various capabilities and has developed various resources including specialized manpower as well as many different modern workshops, machinery and equipment for performing all of the company's operations. Today it is able to conduct all the affairs relating to calculation, design, engineering, sourcing, execution, manufacture, utilization, and maintenance of its refineries, in addition to all activities relating to high voltage transfer pipelines, gas pressuring, supply in city networks, cathodic protection systems, dispatch and remote control and use of precision tools and control systems in compliance with international standards.
Development
Iran plans to invest $15 billion a year to expand its annual gas output capacity to 300 billion cubic meters by 2014, from 170 billion in 2009.[5] It will invest $50 billion from 2010 until 2020 on LNG projects. Iran plans to export 8 million tons of LNG by 2012. The country also aims to increase natural gas exports by fivefold to 60 billion cubic meters a year by 2014, from 12 billion in 2009.[6] Global gas demand is projected to rise between 2 percent and 3 percent a year for the next 20 to 25 years, with India and China the main markets for Iran’s gas exports.[7] Iran's overall gas exports in 2009/10 reached a record high of 6.8 billion cubic meters, increasing 44% over the previous year.[8]
Main subsidiaries
The NIGC subsidiaries are:
- Markazi
- Khorasan
- Qazvin
- Qom
- East Azerbaijan Gas Co.
- Tehran Province gas Co.
- Great Tehran Gas Co.
- Kerman Province Gas Co.
- Fars Gas Co.
- Gas-Khodro
- Gas Transmission
- Gas Storage
- Iran Gas Trade.
See also
- Iran Gas Trunkline (IGAT)
- Iran Natural Gas Reserves
- Asalouyeh
- Rhum gasfield
- Aghajari Gas Injection Project
- Petroleum industry in Iran
- National Iranian Oil Company
References
- ↑ http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3293/html/economy.htm
- ↑ Atieh Bahar: Oil & Gas in Iran (brief Study) Retrieved May 4, 2008
- ↑ http://www.iran-daily.com/1388/3396/html/economy.htm
- ↑ PressTV: Iran to up gas production capacity Retrieved January 6, 2011
- ↑ http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ae.wXwOwwqQI
- ↑ http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ae.wXwOwwqQI
- ↑ http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ae.wXwOwwqQI
- ↑ http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8905191090
External links
- NIGC Official Website
- US Department of Energy - Iran's entry
- Iran oil and gas - Brief 2002 study
