Iran this week inaugurated the second phase of the Bidboland Persian Gas processing plant, a major $3.4bn project that processes 1.9bn cfd of gas, largely previously-flared associated gas. Output will be 10.4mn t/y methane and 1.5mn t/y of ethane. Both ethane and liquids output will boost feedstock for Iran’s growing petchems industry (MEES, 4 December 2020).
The project is also notable in that it will help reduce Iran’s massive gas flaring problem. According to an IEA report this week, Iran is the third largest emitter of methane globally with 5.3mn tons for 2020, behind only Russia and the US. The Bid Boland plant has long been central to Iran’s downstream plans, first being awarded to two foreign firms in 2005 (MEES, 4 July 2005). But given a decade-plus of sanctions and cashflow issues, the work was ultimately completed by local firms who only began construction 36 months ago. (CONTINUED - 146 WORDS)