Iran Replaces Heads of NIGC, NIOC
Iran's oil minister has appointed Hassan Montazer Torbati as CEO of the state-owned National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), the ministry’s website announced Nov.19.
Montazer Torbati replaced HamidReza Aragi, who has served since 2013 in this post. During the period from 2013 to 2017 the country’s gas production increased by about 37% to 225bn m3.
The Iranian parliament passed a bill in August which bans officials of retirement age holding public office. Accordingly, oil minister Bijan Zanganeh’s three deputies, including 62-year-old Aragi left their posts on Nov.19.
The two other changes are that Masoud Karbasian replaced Ali Kardor as CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), with Behzad Mohammadi appointed the new head of the National Petrochemical Company, replacing Reza Norouzzadeh.
Montazer Torbati, who was Aragi's deputy, served as the managing director of the Iranian gas engineering and development company (IGEDC). He announced early October that the country’s gas production would reach 363bn m3/yr by 2022. Such a target is very ambitious given the US sanctions on Iran that have been re-imposed since May 2018.