Iran plans to sign two contracts on the development of the giant South Pars Gas Field by March, said a senior government official.

Deals will be aimed at the development of Phase 11 and the oil layer of South Pars, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying in Iran Daily, which cited Shana.

Currently, Iran produces about 450 million cu m per day (mcm/d) of gas from the field and this is expected to reach 535 mcm/d with five new phases becoming operational by March, the publication said.

It also plans to raise gas output from the field to above 700 mcm/d by 2021.

Zanganeh also said that gas output will reach 900 mcm/d by March 2017 and will reach 1,000 mcm/d by March 2018.