Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact Assessment of Mokhtar Gas Field on Energy Governance

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department Energy Governance, Faculty of Governance, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Despite its abundant energy resources, Iran faces challenges of energy imbalance and uneven regional development; the uneven distribution of resources and economic and social opportunities has led to increased poverty and development constraints in some areas. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, with its rich natural gas reserves and high unemployment rate, exemplifies these disparities. The Mokhtar gas field, as one of the country’s strategic resources, has the potential to address energy imbalances and promote local development. This study employed field data analysis and the MCDA/ELECTRE III framework to examine the economic, social, and environmental impacts of developing or not developing the gas field. The findings indicated that full and limited development options provide the greatest economic and social benefits, including increased household income, employment, infrastructure development, and skill empowerment, while environmental and social damages—particularly air and water pollution, soil erosion, and vegetation degradation—also occur significantly. The non-development option presents the least environmental and social harm but foregoes economic and social benefits. Analysis of local community perceptions revealed that views depend on respondents’ income, education level, and occupation, highlighting two overarching paradigms: a supportive paradigm focusing on economic benefits and employment opportunities, and a critical paradigm emphasizing negative environmental and social consequences. The study underscores the necessity of active local community participation in decision-making, equitable benefit distribution, and management of environmental impacts, demonstrating that a justice-oriented approach combined with local empowerment programs can facilitate sustainable and inclusive energy development. The findings provide a valuable framework for designing energy policies that enhance socio-economic benefits while minimizing negative environmental and social effects, ultimately contributing to reducing energy imbalances in Iran.



Extended Abstract
Introduction
The present study aims to assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the Mokhtar gas field on energy governance in Iran. The structural imbalance between energy supply and demand in Iran, chronic dependence on fossil fuels, and energy intensity 1.5 times the global average have doubled the necessity of optimal utilization of gas resources. The Mokhtar gas field in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, with reserves of over 20 billion cubic meters and unique characteristics (10 km distance from Yasuj, sweet gas, shortest distance to the national gas grid, annual storage capacity of 1.25 billion cubic meters), represents a strategic opportunity to reduce the country's energy imbalance. However, no comprehensive assessment of the multidimensional consequences of this field has been conducted to date. This study is designed to fill this research gap and provide a clear picture of the linkage between gas resource exploitation, energy governance, and sustainable development at national and local levels.
 
Method
This research employed an exploratory-confirmatory mixed-methods approach in three stages. The first stage (qualitative-exploratory) utilized grounded theory. Data were collected through semi-structured and open interviews, focused group discussions, field observations, and note-taking. Purposive and theoretical sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved, ultimately extracting approximately 400 concepts. The second stage (quantitative-confirmatory) involved designing a standard questionnaire based on qualitative findings. The statistical population consisted of 250,000 residents of Yasuj city. The sample size was determined to be 400 using the Slovin formula with a 5% error margin and 95% confidence level. Purposive sampling was applied, comprising local influentials, government managers, contract workers in the gas industry, farmers, herders, miners, academics, and employees of regional electricity and gas companies. Questionnaire data, as nominal categorical variables, were entered into SPSS software and analyzed using descriptive methods (frequencies and percentages) and the Chi-square test. The third stage employed Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) using the ELECTRE III model. Four development options (full development, small-scale limited development, infrastructure development, and no development) were ranked based on three main criteria (socio-economic, environmental, and socio-cultural) and their sub-criteria (employment, household income increase, business development, infrastructure construction, skills empowerment, air and water pollution, soil erosion, wildlife disturbance, deforestation, cultural changes, and social harms). Criteria weighting was performed based on stakeholder preferences, and three thresholds (indifference q, preference p, and veto v) were incorporated into the calculations. Computations were carried out using Python software.
 
Findings
The results showed that the socio-economic criterion had the highest importance weight (50%) from the stakeholders' perspective, followed by environmental (30%) and socio-cultural (20%) dimensions. Among sub-criteria, employment and household income increase each had the highest weight (12%), while deforestation had the lowest (3%). The full development option achieved the highest score in the socio-economic dimension (employment, income, entrepreneurship, infrastructure) but the lowest scores in environmental (air and water pollution, vegetation destruction, wildlife threat) and socio-cultural dimensions (cultural changes, social harms, addiction). Conversely, the no-development option had the highest environmental and socio-cultural scores but lacked economic benefits. Statistical analyses indicated a significant correlation between respondents' education level and occupational status and their perception of socio-economic consequences (5% significance level). Moreover, average monthly household income showed a significant relationship with perceptions of socio-economic impacts, while these variables had no significant effect on perceptions of environmental impacts. The most frequently identified positive effects included improved transportation infrastructure, increased household income, growth of business opportunities, job creation, skills empowerment, and establishment of healthcare centers. Major negative effects included increased consumer goods prices, growth of social harms and addiction, air and water pollution, soil erosion, and wildlife disturbance. The ELECTRE III model results indicated that the full development option had the highest relative advantage compared to other options, particularly in terms of job creation, household income increase, and infrastructure development. The no-development option showed fundamental weaknesses in economic and social criteria with a large margin (0.5–1.0).
 
Conclusion
The general perception of the local community regarding the development of the Mokhtar gas field was predominantly positive, provided that compensatory and protective policies are implemented to reduce environmental impacts and mitigate social inequality. Development of this field is locally acceptable but requires the design and implementation of participatory, justice-oriented, and sustainable policies. Key recommendations include: active participation of the local community in decision-making processes and energy governance, education and capacity-building to transform passive stakeholders into active participants, application of a justice-oriented approach to manage environmental and social consequences (especially protecting vulnerable groups), establishment of transparent and accountable mechanisms for monitoring gas companies and government institutions, formulation of fair local employment policies, support for small businesses, and strengthening regulatory infrastructures to address inflation and inequality. These actions can lead to equitable distribution of benefits, reduction of inequalities, enhancement of social cohesion, and ultimately optimal exploitation of the Mokhtar gas field with minimal negative consequences, promoting sustainable development of the region and the country. By employing a mixed-methods approach and the ELECTRE III model, this study has filled the existing research gap regarding integrated assessment of multidimensional consequences of gas projects on local communities and energy governance mechanisms.
 
 
 
 
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed collaboratively. All authors contributed to writing the manuscript and approved the final version.
 
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
The author(s) declare that there are no acknowledgments.

Keywords

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