Iran proposes transfering gas to Europe

Director of International Affairs of the National Iranian Gas Company said the trans-Caspian Sea gas pipeline is not economical and suggested Iran as the conduit of transfering gas to Europe.

“Our proposal is receiving Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan gas in Iran and transferring it to Europe through Turkey as this route is the most economical way for transfer of gas to Europe,” he said.

Speaking to IRNA, Azizollah Ramezani added, “The plan for transfer of gas to Europe has been raised and we are examining it. There is a good capacity in the regional countries for the export of gas to Europe that Europe can use for diversifying resources of its energy maintenance.”

“Some of the European countries are seeking to receive gas from Turkmenistan through the Caspian Sea but in our point of view this is neither a practical measure nor economic,” he added.

‘Our proposal,’ Ramezani remarked, “is that gas from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan enter Iran and then from Turkey’s route be exported to Europe as this route is the most economical way for transfering of gas to Europe.”

He stressed that in case political and international impediments are removed, the plan will be put into operation quickly, adding that currently due to political reasons European governments are not after import of gas from Iran but European parliaments are following the case.

As for the infrastructures for exporting gas to Europe, Ramezani said if the agreement for the export is signed, the infrastructures for transfer of gas should be prepared which takes time.

It is estimated that in the first step Iran is capable of exporting 25 to 30 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. Full exploitation of South Pars phases and development of joint and independent gas fields will increase gas production capacity to 1000 million cubic meters by the end of 1396 (2017-2018).

Iran exported about 10 billion cubic meters of gas and imported over 6 billion cubic meters in 2014 and is currently exporting gas to Turkey and it is expected to export gas to Iraq as of the month of Ordibehesht (April/May). Meanwhile, preliminary talks have been held for the export of gas to Oman and the United Arab Emirates.