Q: Please explain about your employment and responsibilities?
A: I started with the National Iranian Gas Company in 1982 and was appointed design engineer for gas pipelines at the Engineering and Technical Services Department of the National Iranian Gas Company. After beginning my work, I embarked on collecting technical information, international standards, and existing technical specifications for my specialized task which could have been applied to various projects. Using gas consumption report which was presented by the planning department of the National Iranian Gas Company, I prepared a preliminary report and also fulfilled my design, engineering, and project control duties at the Engineering and Technical Services Department. A few projects were designed up to 1985 and due to the conditions in those years and budget deficit, no new gas transmission projects were designed. At that time, I also worked as the engineer in building shelters for schools of Tehran districts 13 and 14, which was to be implemented by the National Iranian Gas Company. When the Iraqi imposed war was near the end in 1988, I worked with the engineering department of the National Iranian Gas Company as a project controller before working as head of the engineering services for pipeline projects. Finally, as the organizational chart changed, I was appointed as official in charge of gas transmission pipelines project engineering before being appointed the official in charge of the whole project in 2008.
Q: What differences are there between the situation of gas transmission pipelines before and after the Islamic Revolution?
A: Before the Islamic Revolution (1979), all gas transmission projects were designed by foreign companies. After the Islamic Revolution as gas exports were cut and in view of the government’s policy to develop gas transmission pipelines, designing gas pipelines began at the engineering and technical services department and all engineering services were done by domestic personnel. In view of the existing experiences, the number of projects notified to us averaged 250 km up to 1991. Afterwards, the figure rose to about 12 projects or 1,500 km per year (1998-99). A major development in those years, which was made possible through support of the then head of the engineering and technical services, the late Ahmad Yousefi, was to design the 3rd gas trunk line with a diameter of 56 inches and this became a prelude to design all kinds of gas transmission pipelines in the country at any diameter.
Q: What changes have been made in the structure of the National Iranian Gas Company in view of the general principles of Article 44 of the Constitution for privatization?
A: Following the emphasis put on privatization, the National Iranian Gas Company changed its organizational chart. As a result, project design and engineering has been given to EPC consultants and contractors with the National Iranian Gas Company being mostly involved with management and supervision. Up to that time, all design activities were done by company specialists. Therefore, responsibility of officials in charge of the Gas Engineering and Development Company projects is to prepare complete engineering papers in cooperation and coordination with consultant and contractor companies in order to facilitate their activities and enable them implement more projects for development of gas pipelines in line with the 20-Year Vision Plan.
Q: Please explain about ongoing and future gas transmission pipeline projects?
A: The most important project for gas transmission underway is continuation of the 10th trunk line whose contractor is Khatam-ol-Anbia Headquarters and it is a PC project. The contract in addition to valves and pipes is worth about 4,000 billion rials and is to be implemented in 18 months. Other projects include a gas transmission pipeline to Urmia Industrial Park, which is 25 km of 30 inch pipeline, changing about 44 km of 56 inch second trunk line, telecommunication project of the 3rd Azarbaijan pipeline and gas compression station of Pataveh. They are going through various stages from obtaining permits to price quotes from contractors and preparation of tender bid papers.
Public Relations Department of Gas Engineering and Development Company
