Iran announces major natural gas discovery
Iran announces major natural gas discovery
Iran announced on Sunday that it had discovered more than 212 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the southern province of Fars.
Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad told state television that more than 160 billion cubic meters of the gas could be extracted from the field, Xinhua reported.
He added that authorities were taking urgent steps to begin developing the field as soon as possible.
Paknejad described the gas as “sweet” natural gas, meaning it contains very low levels of hydrogen sulphide. He said this characteristic could help reduce the costs associated with operating and developing the field.
The announcement comes as Iran’s energy sector continues to face the effects of months of US-Israeli strikes on its infrastructure, along with extensive economic sanctions.
Paknejad said the discovery would “serve as a very strong foundation for the country’s energy future.”
By Nijat Babayev