Israel launched drone strikes on two gas treatment facilities in southern Iran on 14 June, marking the first attacks on energy infrastructure since the latest round of hostilities began on 13 June.
Israeli drones targeted a gas treatment plant in Assaluyeh that processes sour gas from phase 14 of the offshore South Pars gas field, Iranian state media reported. South Pars, which Iran shares with Qatar, is the world's largest gas field and has 24 development phases.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed parts of the Assaluyeh facility on fire. The plant includes four gas sweetening trains, each with a capacity of 14mn m³/d, enabling total output of up to 56mn m³/d from phase 14. At full capacity, the phase can produce 77,000 b/d of gas condensate, 2,900 t/d of LPG, 2,750 t/d of ethane and 400 t/d of sulphur.
One of the four trains was hit, temporarily halting 12mn m³/d of production from one offshore platform, according to state media.
A separate fire broke out at the Fajr-e-Jam gas processing plant, which handles gas from both South Pars and the Kangan field, and produces around 200 t/d of LPG and 80 t/d of gas liquids.
Iran's oil ministry said emergency teams were deployed to both sites immediately after the incidents, helping to contain the fires.
South Pars has been in production since 2002 and accounts for 70–75pc of Iran's total gas output. The field also supplies a significant share of feedstock for Iran's petrochemical and gasoline production. The Qatari portion of the field is known as the North field.
Saturday's attacks are the first time either side has targeted energy infrastructure. Israel focused on military and nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow when it launched its initial attacks in the early hours of 13 June. Iran responded with ballistic missile and drone strikes on military targets in Israel, including the Kirya complex in Tel Aviv, which houses the defence ministry headquarters.
Further Israeli strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure could threaten up to 3.4mn b/d of crude output and around 1.5mn b/d of exports.
