Qatar’s recent decision to go ahead with bold plans for the North Dome , its supergiant non-associated gas reservoir, together with corollary deals to secure massive new liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity in its chief target export market, China, has spurred Iran into moving forward with its own long-stalled LNG plans, according to a senior oil and gas industry figure who works closely with Iran’s Petroleum Ministry. “Iran and Qatar share the same huge [non-associated] gas reservoir [the 9,700 square kilometre gas basin, 3,700 of which is Iran’s South Pars, with the remainder being Qatar’s North Dome], so each side is always suspicious that the other’s drilling activities will impinge on their own deposits,” he said. “Now’s a very good time for Iran to move ahead with its LNG strategy, as relatively low gas prices means there’s little opportunity cost in re-configuring the various sectors of its gas sector, […]