BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 16. The capacity of the Sarajeh underground gas storage facility in Iran’s central Qom province will increase by 50%.
Behnam Mirzayi, executive director of the Gas Development and Engineering Company of Iran, made the remarks, according to the company.
"The current capacity of the Sarajeh underground gas storage facility in Qom province is 1 billion cubic meters. Work is underway to increase this capacity by 50% in the near future," he said.
Mirzayi added that Iran plans to commission 517 kilometers of gas transmission pipelines during the current Iranian year (March 21, 2026–March 20, 2027). Work on part of the program has already been completed, while the remaining sections are expected to be completed before the cold months.
He said that, as part of efforts to begin restoration work at the four processing plants of South Pars Gas Company that were damaged during the war, the restoration of the sixth processing plant has been assigned to the Gas Development and Engineering Company. The company is working to return the plant to operation as soon as possible.
Mirzayi added that the Gas Development and Engineering Company operates in Iran in areas including gas transmission pipelines, gas pressure-boosting stations, gas storage, communications and the development of processing plants. During the previous Iranian year (March 21, 2025–March 20, 2026), the company commissioned 774 kilometers of gas transmission pipelines and four turbo-compressor facilities.
According to Trend’s analysis, the planned 50% expansion of the Sarajeh underground gas storage facility in Qom province is a positive step toward strengthening the resilience of Iran’s gas supply. Expanding the existing 1 billion-cubic-meter capacity could help meet higher gas demand, particularly during the cold months, and reduce supply risks.
At the same time, the plan to commission 517 kilometers of new gas transmission pipelines could support the expansion of Iran’s gas infrastructure and improve network efficiency. The commissioning of 774 kilometers of pipelines and four turbo-compressor facilities during the previous Iranian year indicates that infrastructure development in this area is continuing.
Meanwhile, Saeid Tavakkoli, deputy minister of petroleum and managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), told Trend in an exclusive interview earlier that the bombing of gas processing plants on March 18, 2026, during the war was a matter of great regret.
"Work is underway to repair the damage at the gas processing plants. The damage is more serious at some of the four processing plants hit at South Pars Gas Company, and the restoration process has begun.
Of course, the bombing of gas processing plants in military air strikes has reduced the country’s gas production. In this regard, work is underway to manufacture and supply equipment. In addition to assessing the damage caused, technical work is continuing, and the plants are scheduled to undergo repairs.
Under the program, the National Iranian Gas Company intends to maximize the country’s gas production within its capabilities and take steps to ensure gas supplies during the upcoming cold months. The focus is also on accelerating restoration efforts and carrying out technical work at the damaged gas processing plants. All measures related to non-military defense have been taken across the gas infrastructure," he said.
The deputy minister emphasized that Iran’s gas infrastructure is designed to serve the population. The country’s gas infrastructure provides essential services, while gas production supplies fuel to thermal power plants, and the electricity generated is used to serve the population.
"It is impossible to justify damage to infrastructure that provides services to citizens under any circumstances. Damage to infrastructure serving the population shows that the other side also has other goals in mind. Despite all this, the Iranian side is prepared for all eventualities, and the necessary plans are in place," he said.
