Iran Daily reported that senior Iranian Oil Ministry officials and members of the parliament discussed ways of accelerating implementation of energy projects in Iran.

The meeting was attended by Mr Rostam Qassemi oil minister of Iran and other high ranking ministry officials as well as members of the parliament's Planning, Budget and Auditing Commission.

During the meeting, Mr Qassemi presented a report on oil projects shared oil fields and the status of the development plans of the South Pars gas field which was followed by exchanging of views by the two sides.

Mr Shojaeddin Bazargani deputy oil minister for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said that parliament's planning and budget commission plays a big role in meeting the financial needs of the oil industry. Members of the commission are also members of the combined Budget Committee so explaining the status quo in the oil sector can persuade them to meet the financial needs of oil industry to move towards development and self sufficiency in the sector.

Mr Ahmad Qalebani MD of the National Iranian Oil Company said that stepping up implementation of oil industry projects requires the parliament to allocate a bigger budget to oil projects. With regard to the necessity for accelerating the development of shared oil and gas fields and other upstream projects, we are asking members of the Planning and Budget Commission of the parliament to increase the oil industry's share of oil sales from 14.5% to at least 25% along with using the National Development Fund and other energy funds resources."

Mr Qalebani said that "Earmarking part of the natural gas revenues to the development of gas fields was another suggestion made by the NIOC. Most of the existing investments of NIOC are spent in development of gas fields, so it is expected that part of the related revenues be allocated to the development of gas fields.”

Source - Iran Daily

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