Page 58 - IRANRptAug21

A deal for the third and fourth phases of the 1.1bn barrel Gachsaran oilfield was agreed with the Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Co. (IOEC) which previously picked up a job on the third phase of the Maroun oilfield.
Meanwhile, PetroIran Development Co. (PEDCO) was awarded work on the Binak oilfield, following the August award of a job on the 3.7bn barrel Mansourabad oilfield.
Work on the Solabdar field was apportioned to a consortium of Qeshm Oil and Energy Industries and Maroun Karan, which also jointly won a contract for projects 1 and 4 at the supergiant Ahvaz field in August. Ahvaz was discovered in 1958, holding 63bn barrels of oil in place and is operated by NIOC subsidiary Karoun Oil and Gas Production Co. (KOGPC).
A consortium of the National Iranian Drilling Co. (NIDC) and Jahanpars Engineering & Construction Co. was a repeat winner, adding a job on the Lali Bangestan field to the contract for the Balaroud oilfield they won in August. Khatam-al Anbiya Construction Headquarters (KAA), the engineering arm of the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was awarded by far the largest contract covering work on the second, third and fifth phases of Ahvaz as well as the offshore Reshadat.
Meanwhile, Mashin Sazi Arak in which KAA is known to hold shares was awarded a deal for the Bibi Hakimeh oilfield which has around 500mn barrels of oil remaining.
While these contract awards to local companies should come as little surprise to Iran watchers given Tehran propensity for pushing forward with the development of domestic assets without the help of foreign firms prohibited from entering the Iranian market by US-led sanctions, they are perhaps more noteworthy because of the clear expanding influence of the KAA.
9.2.2 Automotive corporate news
Iran’s forlorn Saipa Pride hits all-time high price of IRT137mn
IKCO starts production of Peugeot-derived Tara sedan
Iran’s now discontinued SAIPA Pride model based on the KIA of the 1980s has hit an all-time high price of IRT137mn ($5,480 at the free market rate), Tasnim News Agency reported on July 12.
The auto market in Iran has been stagnant for several months due to the double-effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and US sanctions. However, even by the standards of Iran’s upside-down car market, a lack of production and affordable vehicles has pushed the humble second-hand Pride to the new high.
Car prices across the board are creeping up with the Iran Khodro Samand LX model now retailing at IRT213mn, the 1980s Peugeot 405 GLX model hitting 205mn and the Peugeot Pars coming in at IRT250mn.
According to a report by the Iranian Standards and Quality Industry Association (ISQI), some 9,617 vehicles produced in the first Persian calendar quarter (March 21 to June 21) were classed as defective and not fit for sale. The report said that 169,282 units were produced in the quarter.
Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), the largest Iranian car manufacturer, has produced 407 units of its new Tara model set to become available in next month, Asbe Bokhar automotive magazine reported on June 28.
Based on the Peugeot 301, the automobile is set to fill the firm’s platform of compact sedans and act as an ultimate replacement for the Peugeot 405 models which have been produced by the company for the past 20+ years. Development of the Tara (previous working name K132) started before the French company pulled out of joint production with IKCO in 2018 due to US
58 IRAN Country Report August 2021 www.intellinews.com