Minister: Azadegan output exceeds 230,000 bpd as development push continues
Iran’s oil production at the Azadegan oilfield has risen to more than 230,000 barrels per day with further increases planned once new contracts are finalized, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Wednesday, as Tehran presses ahead with the development of shared hydrocarbon fields.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Paknejad gave an update on the southern section of the Azadegan oilfield, which Iran shares with Iraq, IRNA reported.
He stressed that work at Azadegan has continued without interruption, even though the contracts are not yet finalized.
“Our colleagues have never halted activities at the Azadegan field. Even without finalized contracts, they have relied on existing legal provisions, including Article 12 of the Law on Removing Barriers to Competitive Production, to keep development moving forward,” he said.
He said drilling operations have continued and surface facilities have also been expanded.
“As a result of these measures, production at the Azadegan field has risen above 230,000 barrels per day. Once the new contracts are finalized, this upward trend will accelerate, with higher output pursued in line with the project’s timelines,” Paknejad said.
He explained that the field is now being developed as an integrated project, effectively setting aside the division between South and North Azadegn.
According to Paknejad, a specific mechanism has been defined for developing the field and the related contract has been signed and is undergoing final reviews.
“The process is underway in collaboration with the National Development Fund (NDF) and the Planning and Budget Organization, and will be finalized in the near future, paving the way for faster field development,” he said.
The government has outlined a plan to boost crude oil production by 250,000 barrels per day (bpd), supported by $3 billion in funding. The initiative — officially named the “emergency plan” for a crude oil production leap — is the NDF’s first direct involvement in major energy projects. It comes amid ongoing Western sanctions, which have sharply limited access to foreign investment, making domestic resources and the NDF’s financial capacity critical for advancing key infrastructure efforts.
Iran does not publish detailed crude export figures due to US sanctions, which officials say require confidentiality. International Energy Agency (IEA) figures showed that Iranian oil production had reached 3.5 million bpd in November.
On Wednesday, the minister said development of other shared fields was also continuing “with seriousness.”
Commenting on the South Pars gas field, he said in‑field drilling and rigging operations are ongoing, while efforts to advance the pressure‑boosting project continue, aimed at establishing a stable mechanism for securing financial resources.
“At the same time, in other shared fields, including the Yadavaran field and the North and South Yaran fields, development processes are underway without interruption, and plans to increase recovery and enhance production capacity are continuing,” he said.