RoydadNaft –  National Iranian South Oil Company aims to cut flare-gas burning to about 8.6 million cubic meters a day by the end of the current Iranian year in March 2027 and to 4.5 million cubic meters a day by the end of 1406 (March 2028), its production manager said.

Mohammad Mansouri described flare gathering as a top oil-industry priority running on short-, medium- and long-term tracks, Roydad Naft reported, citing NIOC. Average flaring at NISOC has fallen from about 27 million cubic meters a day in 1403 (2024–25) to 22.2 million cubic meters a day now. Completing projects tied to Bidboland Persian Gulf Gas Refinery will cut that further, though zero flaring is not technically or operationally possible, he said.

Bidboland is investing $1.1 billion in a flare-gas gathering and upgrade program of 27 subprojects across operating areas. NISOC has 269 flares in its territory; 112 are active and will be shut in stages as associated-gas projects come on.

A comprehensive flare-gas auction covers 39 packages from Ahvaz to Bibi Hakimeh totaling 504 million cubic feet a day. Six packages are already in service and gather 78 million cubic feet a day. Seventeen more under construction will add 197 million cubic feet a day. Sixteen awarded packages are in contracting for 190 million cubic feet a day, and four others totaling 39 million cubic feet a day are being awarded.

Two longer petrochemical-funded schemes include Marun Petrochemical’s project to gather more than 5 million cubic meters a day of flare gas from the Ahvaz and Marun fields. Physical progress is 75%. When finished it is expected to collect about 593 million cubic feet a day of gas now going to flares. Full start-up is forecast in the first half of the Iranian year 1407 (March–September 2028).