According to Iran Petroleum Ministry, Iran's proved natural gas reserves are about 1,045.7 trillion cubic feet (29.61 trillion cubic metres) or about 15.8% of world's total reserves, of which 33% are as associated gas and 67% is in non associated gas fields. It has the world's second largest reserves after Russia.[1][2]
As it takes approximately 5,850 cubic feet (166 m3) of gas to equal the energy content of 1-barrel (0.16 m3) of oil, Iran's gas reserves represent the equivalent of about 216 billion barrels (3.43×1010 m3) of oil.
Iran still has huge potential for new significant gas discoveries: areas like Caspian Sea, North East, Central Kavir and especially areas starting from Aghar and Dalan gas fields in Fars province up to the Strait of Hormuz and Central Persian Gulf have considerable amount of undiscovered gas resources.[3]
USGS estimates that Iran's undiscovered gas resources could be 200–800 trillion cubic feet (5.7×10 12–23×10 12 m3).[4]
According to Exploration Directorate of NIOC, there are about 150 unexplored anticlines in Iran.[5]
In January 2008, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Gholam-Hossein Nozari said, "NIOC has a target of producing one billion cubic meters of gas per day.[6]
Iran's ten biggest non-associated gas fields:
Field | Gas in place | Recoverable reserve |
---|---|---|
South Pars | 500×10 12 cu ft (14,000 km3) | 360×10 12 cu ft (10,000 km3) |
Kish[8] | 66×10 12 cu ft (1,900 km3) | 50×10 12 cu ft (1,400 km3) |
North Pars[9] | 60×10 12 cu ft (1,700 km3) | 47×10 12 cu ft (1,300 km3) |
Golshan[10] | 55×10 12 cu ft (1,600 km3) | 45×10 12 cu ft (1,300 km3) to 25×10 12 cu ft (710 km3) |
Tabnak | NA | 21.2×10 12 cu ft (600 km3) |
Kangan | NA | 20.1×10 12 cu ft (570 km3) |
Khangiran | NA | 16.9×10 12 cu ft (480 km3) |
Nar | NA | 13×10 12 cu ft (370 km3) |
Aghar | NA | 11.6×10 12 cu ft (330 km3) |
Farsi (B-Structure) | NA | 11×10 12 cu ft (310 km3) - 22×10 12 cu ft (620 km3) |
There are also several discovered gas fields in Iran which hold low portion of CH4 and high portion of N2. These gas fields are Kabir Kuh, Milatun, Samand, Holeylan and Ahmadi.
The Kabir Kuh gas field located in Lurestan province has 21 trillion cubic feet (590 billion cubic metres) of gas in place. The field gas consists of N2 64.33%, CH4 33.64%, CO2 2% and He 0.03%.
Field's Name | Gas in Place | Recoverable Gas Reserve | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Trillion cubic feet | Billion cubic meters | Trillion cubic feet | Billion cubic meters | |
Kish [12] | 66 | 1,900 | 50 | 1,400 |
Tabnak | 30 | 850 | NA | |
Forouz [13] | 24.7 | 700 | NA | |
Farsi (B-Structure)[14] | 11-23 | 310-650 | NA | |
Halegan[15] | 12.4 | 350 | 9 | 250 |
Ghir (Sefid Zakhur)[16][17] | 11.4 | 320 | 8.5 | 240 |
Yadavaran-Gas Layer | 9.75 | 276 | NA | |
Lavan | 9.1 | 260 | NA | |
Balal-Dahroum Formation | 8.8 | 250 | NA | |
Homa | 7.6 | 220 | NA | |
Sefid-Baghon [18][19] | 6.3 | 180 | 4.45 | 126 |
Marun Gas Layer | 6.2 | 180 | NA | |
Gardan | 5.7 | 160 | NA | |
Day | 4.4 | 120 | NA | |
Binak Gas Layer | 3.5 | 99 | NA | |
Karanj Gas Layer | 2.9 | 82 | NA | |
BiBi hakime Gas Layer | 2.4 | 68 | NA | |
Tous[20] | 2.19 | 62 | 1.6 | 45 |
Zireh | 1 | 28 | NA | |
Kuh-e-Asmari(Masjed Soleiman)[21] | 1 | 28 | 0.739 | 20.9 |
Arash | 0.79 | 22 | NA | |
Kheyr Abad | 0.17 | 4.8 | NA | |
Total | 227.3 | 6,440 | NA |
Iran's proven oil and gas reserves are 137 billion barrels (2.18×1010 m3) (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.[22]
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At present, Iran is producing only a small share of its gas reserves, about 5.5 trillion cubic feet (160 billion cubic metres) per year. This means that Iran is one of the few countries capable of supplying much larger amounts of natural gas in the future. Iran's overall gas exports in 2009/10 reached a record high of 6.8 billion cubic meters, increasing 44% over the previous year.[23]
Iran’s net export of gas in 2010 was 1.57 billion cubic metres. In 2010, Iran’s exports and imports of natural gas were 8.42 and 6.85 billion cubic metres respectively. In 2010, Iran exported 0.4, 0.25, and 7.77 billion cubic metres of gas to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey respectively. In terms of imports, Iran has received 0.35 and 6.5 billion cubic metres from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan respectively.[24] Iran has approximately 29.6 trillion cubic meters of proven gas reserves which accounts for 16% of the world’s total reserves. This places Iran behind Russia with the second largest gas reserves worldwide. In 2009, Iran’s natural gas production stood at 116 billion cubic metres. In 2010, this number rose to 138.5 billion cubic metres which shows a 19% increase. Most of Iran’s gas is consumed domestically and has been increasing at an average annual rate of 12% for the past 15 years.
Iran plans to invest $15 billion a year to expand its annual gas output capacity to 300 billion cubic metres (11 trillion cubic feet) by 2014, from 170 billion in 2009.[25] 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 metres (2.1 trillion cubic feet) a year by 2014.[26] 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.[27]
A recent report (December 11,2011) from Iran's Petroleum Minister indicates that a large natural gas reserve was discovered inside Iran's side of the Caspian Sea. These reserves are estimated at 50 trillion cubic feet (1.42 trillion cubic meter).