Pars Oil and Gas Co. (POGC) has started construction of the platform jacket for Phase 1 of National Iranian Oil Co.’s (NIOC) North Pars gas field development in the Persian Gulf.

Amin Khoramabadi, who oversees work on the project at POGC, told news service Shana that the work scope covers engineering, procurement, construction, transportation and installation of the 750-t structure. The weight will increase to about 2,000 t when attachments are included.

It will be installed in a water depth of 13 m.

North Pars was discovered in 1979, 10-15 km offshore and 120 km southeast of Bushehr. It is one of Iran’s largest fields. Plans were drawn up to develop the field in the 1970s, but these were then put on hold.

The project has now been revived with updated strategies involving deployment of modern technologies.

North Pars, with a reservoir depth of about 4,000 m, covers a 500-sq-km area. It is thought to contain in-place gas of 1,668 Bcm, of which 1,337 Bcm could be recoverable.

Once fully developed, the field could produce about 4 Bcf/d.

In another Shana report, NIOC Managing Director Hamid Bovard has called for acceleration of major projects and maintenance programs on the Persian Gulf oil and gas fields.

During a visit to the premises of Iranian Offshore Oil Co., he urged completion of the offshore Forouzan F18 platform, the Abouzar oil pipeline, pressure-boosting facilities in the Forouzan and Salman fields, and installation of further platforms over the Reshadat Field.

He also stresses the need to prioritize flare gas recovery, adding that NIOC was prepared to offer financial resources and required equipment, including turbomachinery.