Damaged oil industry facilities reconstruction should be accelerated: acting oil minister

TEHRAN- The Acting Oil Minister, emphasizing the need to accelerate the reconstruction of oil industry facilities damaged in the third imposed war, said: This measure goes beyond the implementation of industrial projects; it is a national and strategic action for the sustainability of energy supply, maintaining public calm, and continuing the country’s economic activities. According to IRNA, Hamid Bovard said on Friday at a meeting to review reconstruction plans for damaged refineries in South Pars: The process of measures taken for reconstruction is favorable, but given the importance of the matter, the speed of implementation must be increased, and projects related to phases 9 and 10 must also proceed with greater focus and seriousness.

Stating that the reconstruction of oil infrastructure should not be regarded merely as an executive and industrial activity, he added: The importance of these projects lies in their direct effects on national interests and the continuation of the country’s vital services, and planning for their completion must be done with such an approach. Referring to the dependence of a major part of the country’s population on the gas supply network, the Acting Oil Minister said: Currently, about 95 percent of the country has access to gas, and for this reason, any disruption in the supply of this energy can affect people’s daily lives.

Bovard, explaining the country’s gas production and consumption conditions, said: During the war, about 230 million cubic meters of gas production capacity was lost. Also, on peak consumption days, the gas imbalance reaches about 250 million cubic meters. He added: Although part of the lost capacity has returned to the production cycle and the operation to restore other capacities continues, given the increase in consumption during the cold season, there is still a possibility of imbalance on peak consumption days in winter.

Bovard, emphasizing that resolving this challenge is not possible only through increasing production, stated: Alongside the efforts of oil industry workers to restore production capacities, consumption control in various sectors must also be pursued seriously. Referring to the fact that gas consumption in the household and commercial sectors reaches about 700 million cubic meters per day on some winter days, the Acting Oil Minister emphasized the necessity of public participation in consumption management.

He said: Reducing gas consumption by about 20 percent in the household and commercial sectors can play an effective role in managing the conditions, and achieving this goal is possible by observing a few simple points in daily life. Bovard added: Setting ambient temperature at a normal level, using warmer clothing on cold days, and refraining from keeping all heating devices on at the highest setting are among the measures that can help reduce consumption.

Dividing solutions for dealing with gas imbalance into two axes—production and consumption—he stated: Increasing production capacity is the duty of the oil and gas industry, and the workers in this sector strive in this direction by implementing projects and carrying out continuous activity, but consumption management will not achieve the desired result without public cooperation and participation. EF/MA