Iran gas producer suspends work after fire disrupts production

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Work was suspended at a gas production facility in Iran's South Pars field, official media said.

Iranian media reported that Platform 16 in the South Pars field of the Gulf was the site of a "major fire and was out of production."

The Pars Oil and Gas Company, which operates the platform, has said that there had been a gas leak, but the damage was "not significant."

The fire nearby was caused by lightning sparking leaking gas, the operating company said on Saturday, according to Reuters.

"The gas emitted at the water level (from a leaking undersea pipeline) was ignited by lightning 15 km (9 miles) from the platform," Pars Oil and Gas Company said in a statement on its website, the agency added.

Shortly after, the company continued, the fire was contained after production was halted at the platform. Planning for repair work is now underway.