이란 "530억 배럴 매장 유전 발견"…매장량 3위 될 듯
Iran has discovered a new oilfield in the southwest of the country, which apparently has the potential to boost its reserves by about a third.
Whether it can develop the site or sell it remains an entirely different question though.
For more on this and other news around the world, let's turn to our Kim Da-mi.
Da-mi, how significant is the finding?
Connyoung, more than 50 billion barrels of crude oil have been discovered in Iran's southern Khuzestan province, home to the country's crucial oil industry.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced such discovery during a televised speech in Yazd on Sunday that the field stretches over 24-hundred square kilometers in the oil-rich province.
''In spite of the Iranian nation's entire enemies, during the days when you imposed sanctions on Iran's oil sales and pressurized our nation, our dear workers and engineers discovered 53 billion oil barrels in a huge oil field.''
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Iran ranks the world's fourth-largest oil reserve holder after Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Canada.
If the new oil field does eventually contribute to its commercial production, Iran's crude oil reserves will rise to the world's third largest, surpassing Canada.
The findings come as Iran faces tough U.S. sanctions after Washington pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers last year,.. leaving uncertainties on whether the new find will go into actual commercial production.