MONTHLY Iran Petroleum Issue No. 88 September 2019 Oil and Gas Exploration in Full Swing Zangeneh: Iran Has Own Tools to Foil Sanctions Leaping Over SanctionsKasra Nouri Wall Director General of Public Relations erse 216 of chapter Al-Baqara of increased investment in the petrochemical Holy Quran says: “…though it be sector and concentration on this sector. Vhateful to you. Yet it may happen Plans to develop the petrochemical that you will hate a thing which is better for industry started in the 1990s, which you; and it may happen that you will love brought Iran’s petrochemical revenue from a thing which is worse for you; God knows, $1 billion to over $16 billion over 15 years. and you know not.” If the pressure exerted on Iran’s petroleum A clear manifestation of this verse is seen industry through sanctions is taken into in the unjust and illegitimate sanctions the consideration that would be a record. US has imposed against Iran. During the third jump in Iran’s These sanctions had been designed petrochemical industry, which started in to target Iran’s economy and industry, 2013, a comprehensive and well thought- particularly Iran’s petroleum and out plan was implemented for the growth petrochemical sector; however, the of the petrochemical chain. That would outcome has been development of the bring Iran’s petrochemical revenue to sector based on self-reliance and progress $25 billion. The unprecedented and based on domestic capabilities. sustainable growth and development of the A review of the trend of growth and petrochemical industry despite sanctions development in Iran’s petrochemical and economic pressure highlight the fact industry over recent years despite that independent nations could no longer tough sanctions would lay bare the be blocked by economic and political ineffectiveness of efforts by narrow-minded pressure. Consequently, inexperienced and politicians. incapable politicians could no longer use Abandoning crude oil sales and creating the industry and the economy as tools for a chain of high value-added industries has their illegitimate political objectives. been a major plan of Iran’s Ministry of Throughout its third jump, Iran’s Petroleum. The petrochemical sector makes petrochemical industry crossed the wall of the largest contribution to that objective. sanctions. That is an undeniable fact that Despite their short-term impact, the would turn out to be true in all economic, sanctions prepared the ground for industrial and political sectors. Ministry of Petroleum 50 Islamic Republic 16 of Iran Managing Editor: Kasra Nouri Director General of Public Relations Editor in chief: Parastoo Younchi Executive Editor: Hamid-Reza Shakeri-Rad Graphic Designer: Saman Goodarzi Photo Section, PR Office, MOP: Hassan Hosseini Asian crude 42 Reporter: Negar Sadeqi Javad Asghari and products Translator: market Kianoush Amiri Coordinator: Abbas Lotfi Tel/Fax: (+98 21) 61626113 www.iranpetroleum.ir [email protected] A Century of Khaf, Gas Storage, Oil and Gas Historical US Oil Weightlifting and Ancient Reliable Exploration COVER in Petroleum City Theft Support in Full Swing Industry for Energy Security 54 28 Hassan Hosseini Photo: 58 38 06 Top story October 2019 Issue No.88 MONTHLY Top story facility. in revenue,” he added. He Directorate of Exploration said that the Baghoun field, New Gas Find in Fars Province showsfield. Data an API provided gravity by of the49 $40bn Revenue which had been discovered and hydrogen sulfur content Dehqan said Eram’s gas was earlier, was part of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) announced the discovery of an of 800 ppm for the Kangan enough to meet Tehran’s Eram field. Dehqan said independent gas field in the southern Iranian province of Fars. The Eram and Upper Dalan reservoirs needs for 16 years. “But the available infrastructure gas field holds 19 tcf of gas in place, over 13 tcf of which is recoverable. and an API gravity of 50 and fortunately or unfortunately in Fars Province would hydrogen sulfur content of since we have the South facilitate treatment of gas at eza Dehqan, deputy long and 5 meters wide. and gas reserves in the world. 45 ppm for the Lower Dalan Pars field, which is the the Parsian refinery. CEO of NIOC for reservoir. That shows the world’s largest gas field, Dehqan underlined the Rdevelopment and gas discoveries and twenty Light and Sweet Gas high quality of gas in the other discoveries are not engineering, said: “With this percentSeventy-five of oil percentdiscoveries of Iran’s According to Dehqan, the seen as important.” “Such discovery, it can be argued have been made following exploration well which led discovery would be taken ofsignificance oil and gas of production. exploration He as that Iran has reached self- the 1979 Islamic Revolution. to the discovery of Eram Eram field. The vicinity of seriously were it made in said:the first “Fortunately, link in the notvalue only chain in Iran sits atop 159 billion had been drilled by National the Eram field to the Shanol other countries,” he added. the exploration sector but also in With this activities.” NIOC Directorate barrels of recoverable liquid Iranian Drilling Company asand well Homa as the gas existence fields near of Dehqan said Eram’s gas the development sector we are Estimates discovery, it ofsufficiency Exploration in exploration said the new hydrocarbon, standing in the (NIDC). Drilling began in properthe Parsian infrastructure gas refinery, would was sweet, adding that the self-reliant. The prime examples show that this fourth rank in the world. In summer 2018 and lasted more gas layer of this field was can be argued kilometers south of the city of terms of gas reserves, Iran than 9 months. Eram is also 400 meters thick, which implementation of enhanced oil field’s gas and that Iran has Shiraz,gas field 60 was kilometers located 200 north of comes second in the world estimated to hold 385 billion makingadd to the up significance for production of loss is high for a gas reservoir. recovery,of self-sufficiency as well as are the the Goureh- condensate Assaluyeh and 25 kilometers with 34 tcm of recoverable barrels of gas condensate, development of this field in “Estimates show that this Jask crude oil transmission reached self- south of the city of Khonj. The gas. Therefore, Iran comes or equivalent to one phase sustainable feedstock supply field’s gas and condensate project by hiring Iranian would sufficiency in gas reservoir is 50 kilometers of the giant South Pars gas toin adjacentthe Parsian fields, treatment as well as in would produce $40 billion contractors.” produce $40 exploration billion in first in terms of combined oil activities revenue Ali Moallemi another gravimetrical and effect, we have launched many border and it will be impossible Deputy Director of Exploration, NIOC magnetometric project will activities in the Zagros and geophysical data gathering to make precise calculations Gas Find ince stratigraphical start in Bostan-Abad and Abadan Plain areas. Gravimetry isproject under is way that in for the the onshore/ first time about its reserves. Another and geological studies Sarab Plain areas following the and magnetometry studies offshore areas. Of course, project currently under way Likely in Sconducted over the past conclusion of petroleum-based have started in Abadan Plain following the discovery of is the Basht project, located couple of years show that geological studies that have since May, and we plan to start in an area of the same name West Makran is conducive been conducted to identify 3D seismic testing. Following out that the area can have a between the three provinces of Khuzestan to complementary studies, the hydrocarbon potential of the proof of existence of oil in goodthe Minoo hydrocarbon oil field, potential;it came Kohguiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, The Exploration this project will start as a northwest. The philosophy West Karoun, and the discovery therefore, 2D and 3D geological Fars and Khuzestan. In seismic Directorate of National giant project there. We hope behind choosing these two areas and geophysical activities may operations we are seeking to Iranian Oil Company to identify the exploration is the possibility of existence of Yadavaran and Darquain, our open a new horizon to us in this access the Khami and Dehrom (NIOC) has drawn potential of this area following suitable structure. Therefore, explorationof giant fields activities like Azadegan, have vast area. layers. The important point is up extensive plans for the completion of studies. gravimetry and magnetometry shifted to the east of Karoun a stratigraphic structure and that no drilling has been made exploration in Iran’s intact Furthermore, magnetometric studies are on the agenda. We River. Due to existence of certain we have noThe possibility Minoo field to make has in the Dehrom layer anywhere areas. The Directorate has and gravimetrical operations are currently in the process of geological structures, we expect calculations there. In order to in Khuzestan Province. That is for the first time in 10 years have started in Kopet Dagh, choosing a contractor to activate to meet stratigraphic traps. obtain more data on Minoo, we while in Fars and the Persian embarked on gravimetrical covering the area extending 4,500 stations in the region. We need advanced technology have to start production from it Gulf areas, this layer has created and magnetometric studies from Dargaz to Sarakhs Plain. The Exploration Directorate is there and that is why we have in untapped areas like In parallel, a 2D seismic testing committed to discovering new so far been reluctant to start OIEC is set to handle production depth of access to this layer is Makran, planning to install plan in Dargaz is under way work there. Now, 3D seismic or use a specific seismic testing.