The only incomplete phase of the South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf, Phase 11, will start production in September, the oil minister said.
Iranian experts and engineers are developing the phase that is expected to produce 19 million cubic meters of gas per day, Javad Owji was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
Phase 11 is the last of the 24 phases of the giant gas field, which has not been developed yet.
According to the minister, French Total S.A. was to work on the phase, but despite conducting studies, the company stopped working due to sanctions and the phase will soon become operational with the help of domestic companies.
Total had signed a $5 billion agreement in 2016 to develop SP Phase 11 as the head of a consortium that included China National Petroleum Corporation and Petropars.
After canceling the agreement to develop the field due to the US pressure and new sanctions that forced international firms to walk away from Iran in 2018, the French energy company submitted the project's documents to its partner, CNPC.
However, as the Chinese company did not take any measures to develop the phase, Petropars started work on the field by relying on domestic experts and knowhow.
The map shows the location of South Pars Phase 11 in Persian Gulf waters in southern Iran
About $85 million have been invested in the phase and when fully operational, it will produce 56.6 million cubic meters of gas per day plus 75,000 barrels of gas condensate. Gas will be transferred to onshore refineries in Asalouyeh and Kangan in Bushehr Province.
Phase 11 is considered the most complicated and complex project compared to other South Pars projects.
As the studies indicate, Phase 11 will experience substantial reduction in pressure three years after starting production, which will require an equipment upgrade to maintain the production level.