18 March 2006
TEHRAN: The project to increase production from Kharg Island's oilfields, which is one of the country's largest oil industry schemes, will become operational within the next few months.
With the completion of the project, Doroud Oilfield, one of the three reserves on the island, will witness an increase in its oil production capacity from the current 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 200,000 bpd.
The long-term development project will also include Esfandiar Oilfield project, which aims to increase oil production from the current 40,000 to 80,000 bpd.
Associated gases will also be collected from all these fields as the projected drilling of eight new wells on the island is expected to boost oil production from Abouzar Oilfield by 33,000 bpd to 240,000 bpd.
In the next three years, a pier will be constructed to export associated gases.
Doroud Oilfield is being developed by French oil giant Total in a consortium with Italy's Agip. The consortium has invested $540 million in the project. Total holds a 55-percent stake in the project.
Production from Kharg oilfields is expected to increase significantly under a 25-year development program.
The small island has now turned into an oil city with seashores occupied by foreign oil tankers, which export 90 percent of Iran's oil to international markets.
Doroud produces what is said to be one of the best quality oils of Iran. The joint Forouzan Oilfield, which is located near the island, and Abouzar Oilfield come next in terms of quality and lightness of oil.
Doroud is the only oilfield on the southern island, which is being developed under a buyback project. That is, based on national laws, the French company will have to employ Iranian contractors.
However Forouzan Oilfield, which is the oldest of all, straddles Iran and Saudi Arabia and has been operating for 40 years. The field suffered fewer damages during the devastating Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. However, it has not been developed adequately by the Iranian side and the Iran part produces only 40,000 bpd. The same field used to produce 170,000 bpd prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Mohammad Reza Jajeh Jahromi, acting executive manager of Iran Offshore Oil Company on Kharg Island, told reporters earlier that production from Forouzan Oilfield will double in two years.
He agreed with experts that the development of joint oilfields needs to be paid due attention.
Mohammad Reza Akbar Mousavi, deputy Abouzar project manager, also told reporters that the oilfield's offshore platform has been constructed by Iranian contractors.
He said the project has cost $150 million for Iran.
Total production from Kharg Island stands at 350,000 bpd at present. Experts say the output can rise to up to 600,000 bpd and the island has the potential to become one of the main oil export venues in the entire Persian Gulf region.
TEHRAN: The project to increase production from Kharg Island's oilfields, which is one of the country's largest oil industry schemes, will become operational within the next few months.
With the completion of the project, Doroud Oilfield, one of the three reserves on the island, will witness an increase in its oil production capacity from the current 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 200,000 bpd.
The long-term development project will also include Esfandiar Oilfield project, which aims to increase oil production from the current 40,000 to 80,000 bpd.
Associated gases will also be collected from all these fields as the projected drilling of eight new wells on the island is expected to boost oil production from Abouzar Oilfield by 33,000 bpd to 240,000 bpd.
In the next three years, a pier will be constructed to export associated gases.
Doroud Oilfield is being developed by French oil giant Total in a consortium with Italy's Agip. The consortium has invested $540 million in the project. Total holds a 55-percent stake in the project.
Production from Kharg oilfields is expected to increase significantly under a 25-year development program.
The small island has now turned into an oil city with seashores occupied by foreign oil tankers, which export 90 percent of Iran's oil to international markets.
Doroud produces what is said to be one of the best quality oils of Iran. The joint Forouzan Oilfield, which is located near the island, and Abouzar Oilfield come next in terms of quality and lightness of oil.
Doroud is the only oilfield on the southern island, which is being developed under a buyback project. That is, based on national laws, the French company will have to employ Iranian contractors.
However Forouzan Oilfield, which is the oldest of all, straddles Iran and Saudi Arabia and has been operating for 40 years. The field suffered fewer damages during the devastating Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. However, it has not been developed adequately by the Iranian side and the Iran part produces only 40,000 bpd. The same field used to produce 170,000 bpd prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Mohammad Reza Jajeh Jahromi, acting executive manager of Iran Offshore Oil Company on Kharg Island, told reporters earlier that production from Forouzan Oilfield will double in two years.
He agreed with experts that the development of joint oilfields needs to be paid due attention.
Mohammad Reza Akbar Mousavi, deputy Abouzar project manager, also told reporters that the oilfield's offshore platform has been constructed by Iranian contractors.
He said the project has cost $150 million for Iran.
Total production from Kharg Island stands at 350,000 bpd at present. Experts say the output can rise to up to 600,000 bpd and the island has the potential to become one of the main oil export venues in the entire Persian Gulf region.
© Iran Daily 2006
