Language
Country/Area
No result found
Facing geopolitical implications: How do Iran and Qatar compete for resources in South Pars?
The South Pars gas field, also known as the Northern Dome, is the largest natural gas condensate field in the Persian Gulf, with reserves estimated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) of up to 1,800 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and approximately 50 billion barrels of gas. Condensate. The gas field is jointly owned by Iran and Qatar, and its location and energy resources give it significant geostrategic influence. Against this background, the competition between the two countries is becoming more and more eye-catching. How the respective political and economic interests of both parties affect their development and management of resources is undoubtedly worthy of our consideration.
The development of the South Pars gas field is not only an economic competition, but also a geopolitical game.
Geographical and geological characteristics of the South Pars gas field
This gas field is located on the seabed of the Persian Gulf, reaching a depth of 3,000 meters and covering an area of 9,700 square kilometers, of which 3,700 square kilometers belong to Iran's South Pars and 6,000 square kilometers to Qatar's Northern Dome. The main reservoirs of the gas field include various formations in the Triassic and Permian, forming a rather complex geological structure and providing abundant natural gas and condensate resources to both countries.
According to the latest estimates, the recoverable reserves of the South Pars/North Dome gas field significantly exceed the total of all other natural gas fields in the world combined. This inherent potential has led both Iran and Qatar to actively promote development plans in order to enhance their respective economic strength through this resource.
Iran’s Development Strategy
Since its discovery in 1990, Iran's development in South Pars has faced challenges, including technical difficulties, contractual disputes and political factors. The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) is responsible for leading the development plan of the gas field and has divided it into several stages, hoping to further increase production by 2020.
Iran plans to fully develop the South Pars gas field in 24 to 30 phases, eventually reaching a daily production of 2.5 to 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
This means that while Iran is increasing production, it must also face many internal and external challenges, such as sanctions and competition with Qatar.
Qatar’s development advantages
Compared to Iran, Qatar seems to have an advantage in developing the South Pars gas field, both in terms of technology and investment. Qatar's production capacity is significant. Between 2000 and 2008 alone, its natural gas production reached approximately 2,000 billion cubic feet, a figure that gave it a dominant position in the international market.
Qatar Energy's efficient development model and large-scale infrastructure investment have helped it occupy a place in the global natural gas market. This allows Qatar to continuously increase its production and export capabilities to gain a larger market share in the international market.
The impact of geopolitics
With the competition for the resources of the South Pars gas field, the political confrontation between Iran and Qatar has also intensified. Iran faces restrictions in developing resources due to sanctions, while Qatar uses its resource advantages to further strengthen its regional and international influence.
The competition between the two countries is not only an economic issue, but also involves the existence that affects the balance of regional power.
Iran is strengthening relations with other partners and intends to use the development of the South Pars gas field to enhance its geopolitical influence while facing external pressure. As the two countries step up their resource development, a more complex geopolitical landscape may emerge in the future.
Future Outlook
Faced with competition from Qatar, Iran needs to speed up its development while also taking into account political, market and technological challenges. How to find a balance between cooperation and competition on this common resource will be an important issue for both parties in the future.
Since both sides are key countries that rely on the South Pars gas field, future resource development will affect the security and stability of the entire Persian Gulf region. Will the rivalry between Iran and Qatar intensify? This issue will become the focus of attention of the international community in the future.
