South oil company boosts refining capacity

Qalavand told Shana the company would achieve its target by expanding desalination units and implementing gas injection projects, and added that the company plans to implement 15 desalination projects in next five years. "By implementing desalination projects oil refining capacity of the National Iranian South Oil Company will rise by 1.2 million barrels per day," Qalavand said. He added some of oil fields had reached second half of their lifespan therefore maintaining production requires implementation of gas injection and desalination programs adding these programs play an important role in stabilization of oil production, maintaining pressure at reservoirs and rising production capacity. "The NISOC produces about 108 million cubic meters of gas per day of which 70 to 80 million cubic meters are being injected to oil wells," Qalavand said. On gathering associated gases, the NISOC top executive said the company had succeeded in preventing flaring of more than 95 percent of associated gases in the oil fields covered by the company. He said the company had achieved 98 percent of its targets on oil production last year. The NISOC produces more than 80 percent and 16 percent of total Iran's oil and gas respectively. Also the company's daily oil and gas production stand at 3 million barrels and 110 million cubic meters respectively.