​The mounting operation of platform 18B of phases 17 and 18 of South Pars gas field was successfully accomplished 100 kilometers offshore of Assalouyeh and other equipment such as bridges and torches are being installed. According to Masoud Golshenas, manager of macro-projects of IDRO, currently platforms are domestically built in Iran and “we have achieved self-sufficiency in this sector.” The IDRO official expressed hope that the operationalization of development plans of the oil industry will pave the way for the use of capacities of domestic platform builders. Referring to the point that the newly installed platform enhances the country’s gas extraction from South Pars gas field up to 14 mcm per day, Golshenas reminded, “the platform was built in 17 months at Bandar Abbas and all engineering work of the project was provided by ISOICO, which is a subsidiary of IDRO.” The 240-ton platform with its bridges was installed successfully on August 2 in its position in the Persian Gulf. The platform, once launched fully, will pump 14 million cubic meters of natural gas per day from South Pars gas field. South Pars gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, is estimated to contain a significant amount of natural gas, accounting for about eight percent of the world’s reserves. The field is divided into 24 standard phases.“Currently, platforms built by ISOICO meet the latest global technological standards, comparable to those manufactured by European brands in terms of quality and duration,” Golshenas said. Talking about using domestic capacity to manufacture the platform, the IDRO official said, “The policy shows that ISOCIO, as a subsidiary of IDRO, has fulfilled its mission in supporting the country’s industry.” “In installing the platform, all safety measures were taken and all designing, building, and equipment supplies, and installation operation were conducted by Iranian experts,” he highlighted. Pointing out to installing platforms 17B and 18B before installing platforms of phase 14, Golshenas added, “the decision was made by the Oil Ministry in order to make the most use of borderline areas of South Pars gas field and so we acted accordingly.” “It took ISOICO between 16 to 18 months to design and build Platform 18B. The installed platform is an equipped one and we hope to operationalize it in four months so as to have gas extracted from the platform in the national gas network before this coming winter,” he said. A consortium of three giant companies are developing phases 17 and 18 of South Pars gas field; these are IDRO (48 percent), National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Co (OIEC) (31 percent), Iranian Offshore Engineering, and Construction Company (IOEC).