Skip to main content

Iran's SP phase 11 expected to start gas production in March 2022

According to the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the South Pars phase 11 (SP11) is expected to start production within 15 months, i.e. in March 2022. SP11 will have a production capacity of 2 bcf/d (over 56 mcm/d or 20.7 bcm/year) of gas as of 2022.

In July 2017, a consortium led by Total and CNPC signed a contract with NIOC for the development of SP11, which was expected to be operated by Total (50.1%), in partnership with Petropars (19.9%), and the Chinese state-owned oil and gas company CNPC (30%). In July 2018, Total pulled out of the contract, after failing to secure a special project waiver from the US authorities, which had reinstated sanctions against Iran. CNPC took over Total’s participation in November 2018. In October 2019, CNPC renounced to participate in the development of SP11, which will be developed by NIOC.

According to the Pars Oil and Gas Company, Iran’s South Pars field produced more than 700 mcm/d over the year 2019-2020 (21 March 2019-20 March 2020). The South Pars / North Dome gas field is the largest in the world and is shared between Iran and Qatar. Its development on the Iranian side is divided into about 24 phases in the first stage, 23 of which are active now. Phases 1-10 are intended for domestic consumption and injection into Iranian oil fields, while gas from the other phases should be exported.