TEHRAN - Iran has recorded its highest crude oil production in seven years, with output rising about 10% in 1403 compared with 1402 and another 3.5% in 1404, according to Reza Kheilaei, director of oil and gas production monitoring at the National Iranian Oil Company.
Kheilaei said NIOC has achieved significant production records since the 14th administration took office by focusing on field development and sustaining production capacity.
The combined growth in crude oil production over the past two years has resulted in a seven-year production record and created significant added value for the country, he said.
Kheilaei said domestically produced crude is used both to supply refineries and produce petroleum products, while different grades are also exported.
Crude oil exports increased in 1404 compared with previous years, he said.
Since the start of the 14th administration, about 230,000 barrels per day has been added to Iran’s crude production capacity through development, operational and remedial measures at oil fields and production facilities.
The drilling and commissioning of 47 wells at various fields were among the main drivers of higher output, Kheilaei said. Other measures included modifying flowlines and surface manifolds, upgrading processing and desalination facilities, installing downhole pumps, and repairing and restoring wells.
Kheilaei said a centralized desalination unit in Ahvaz has been completed and commissioned, with the capacity to process 250,000 barrels per day of salty crude from the Ahvaz field.
The facility provides significant additional capacity to process salty crude produced in the Ahvaz field and surrounding areas and will help support sustained and increased production, he said.
The Central Processing Facility at the Azadegan oil field has also been fully completed and commissioned, Kheilaei said.
The facility, developed by Petroleum Engineering and Development Co., has a processing capacity of 320,000 barrels per day, divided into four 80,000-bpd trains.
Trains C and D entered operation last year, while trains A and B were completed and commissioned in recent days.
Full operation of the facility removes processing constraints at the field and enables the processing of crude produced at Azadegan, helping ensure stable production from the shared field, Kheilaei said.
Upstream work at Azadegan, including the installation of downhole pumps, drilling new wells and other development activities, is also continuing, he added.
Production at the Sepehr and Jofair fields has increased by about 30,000 barrels per day following the drilling of eight new wells and installation of three downhole pumps, Kheilaei said.
He described the development project as one of the successful projects implemented under Iran’s new-generation Integrated Petroleum Contract (IPC) framework.
The Sepehr and Jofair development project are now operational, with crude production underway, he said.