LOC20:47
17:47 GMT
TEHRAN, Jan 28 (KUNA) -- Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said Sunday gas production from South Pars field increased by 83 million cubic meters to 553 million cubic meters per day.
South Pars is an off-shore field jointly operated by Iran and Qatar.
Zangeneh was quoted by Fars news agency as saying Iran's gas production from South Pars exceeded Qatar's.
He said Iran opened six development stages for South Pars aimed at boosting production by 150 million cubic meters per day in 2018.
South Pars is the world's largest gas field with 50.97 trillion cubic meters of reserve.
Iran's national oil company signed last July a USD 4.879 billion contract with a consortium led by Total to develop the 11th stage of South Pars.
Total has 51.1 percent of the contact. Chinese companies in the consotrium have 30 percent stake while Iran's Petropars has 19.9 percent. (end)
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