伊朗將與中法企業簽署氣田開發協議
France’s Total and China National Petroleum Corp are set to sign the first big agreement with Iran for development of its gasfields since the loosening of international sanctions in January.
法國道達爾(Total)和中國石油天然氣集團公司(CNPC)將與伊朗簽訂自1月國際制裁放鬆以來的首份大規模天然氣田開發協議。
Iran’s oil ministry said it expected to finalise the preliminary deal, involving development of the South Pars gasfield, today.
伊朗石油部稱，預計將在今天敲定涉及南帕斯氣田(South Pars)開發的初步協議。
It would be a breakthrough in Tehran’s efforts to attract renewed investment in its outdated energy infrastructure and unlock some of the world’s biggest oil and gas reserves.
這將是德黑蘭方面努力的一個突破，目的是吸引外資重返該國，升級其過時的能源基礎設施，開發世界最大的一些油氣儲量。
For Total, the deal would open the way for its return to Iran six years after the French oil major left the country amid tension over Tehran’s nuclear arms project.
對於6年前因爲德黑蘭核武器項目引發的緊張局勢而被迫離開伊朗的道達爾來說，這筆協議將爲其重返伊朗打開道路。
It would highlight Total’s hunt for sources of growth in spite of persistent weakness in the oil market.
此舉突顯出，儘管石油市場持續疲軟，但這家法國大型石油公司仍積極尋覓增長來源。
Total declined to comment on the expected agreement but, in an interview with the Financial Times, Patrick Pouyanné, chief executive, highlighted Iran among the places he was interested in investing.
道達爾拒絕就預期達成的這筆協議置評，但是其首席執行官潘彥磊(Patrick Pouyanné)在接受英國《金融時報》採訪時強調，伊朗是他有興趣投資的地方之一。
He said new oil and gas projects were urgently needed to stave off supply shortages after the sharp downturn in industry capital expenditure since oil prices fell in mid-2014.
他稱，自從2014年中石油價格下降以來，能源業資本支出大幅減少，迫切需要新的油氣項目來防止供應短缺。
The number of new projects being sanctioned is by far not sufficient to fight against declines [in reserves], he said.
目前被批准的新項目數量遠遠不足以對抗（儲量）下滑，他稱，
In commodities you must invest when the prices are low and the costs are low.
在大宗商品這一行，你必須在價格處於低點、成本較低時投資。
Mr Pouyanné said there was huge potential in Iran, which has the world’s second-largest gas reserves and fourth-largest oil reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
潘彥磊表示，伊朗擁有巨大的潛力，根據美國能源情報署(EIA)的數據，伊朗擁有世界第二大天然氣儲量和第四大石油儲量。
Iran wants $200bn of investment in energy over the next five years.
伊朗希望未來五年對能源領域投資2000億美元。
Until now it has struggled to persuade overseas energy companies to commit amid wrangling over contract terms.
此前因爲在合同條款方面談不攏，伊朗難以說服海外能源公司承諾投資。
Under the deal expected to be signed with state-controlled National Iranian Oil Company, Total will form a consortium with CNPC and Petropars of Iran to develop a new phase of South Pars.
根據預計將與國家控制的伊朗國家石油公司(National Iranian Oil Company)簽署的協議，道達爾將與中石油和伊朗的Petropars組成一家財團，在南帕斯氣田進行新一期的開發。
Total had long been seen as one of the companies most likely to seek renewed access to Iran after nuclear-related sanctions were eased because it helped develop South Pars together with Statoil of Norway in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
道達爾一直被視爲在伊朗因核問題而遭到的制裁被撤銷之後最有可能尋求重新進入伊朗的公司之一，因爲早在1990年代末和21世紀初，道達爾曾與挪威國家石油公司(Statoil)一起協助開發南帕斯氣田。
South Pars holds 51tn cubic metres of gas, according to the International Energy Agency.
國際能源署(IEA)數據顯示，南帕斯氣田擁有51萬億立方米的天然氣儲量。
