Iran ready to transport Turkmen gas and Azeri petroleum

The deputy minister of petroleum on the international questions of Iran, Hoseyn Nogrekar Shirazi, on the eve of a meeting in Astrakhan devoted to economic interaction of the countries of the near-Caspian region, has declared that the gas pipeline Serahs-Dzhask represents the best variant for transportation of gas from adjoining Iran in the north of the countries in the Persian Gulf zone.
According to Hoseyn Nogrekar Shirazi, the building of the named gas pipeline is a theme of negotiations amongst northern neighbours. After the gas pipeline will be laid in parallel to the pipeline Neka-Dzhask, intended for crude oil transportation, the port of Dzhask at the Gulf of Oman will turn into a large terminal for export of a crude oil, gas and petroleum.

Between Iran and Turkmenistan negotiations on deliveries of Turkmen gas to the world market on an equivalent circuit (swap) are continued. Also, it was offered to the Turkmen party to transport gas through Serahs, which is in immediate proximity from a gas deposit in the area of Dauletabad in Turkmenistan territory, in Dzhask. The gas pipeline intended for it will be constructed in addition to the pipeline Neka-Dzhask, which will transport crude oil from the Gulf of Oman to Iran's northern neighbours.
Hoseyn Nogrekar Shirazi has noted that Iran plans to pump over to 50 mm cm of Turkmen gas a day. The gas pipeline Serahs-Dzhask can be under construction in joint sharing of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. For the transferred countries it will be the shortest exit to future markets.

Having mentioned a question on negotiations which Iran conducts with the countries adjoining on it in the north, in particular with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan engaging the big stocks of petroleum and gas, Hoseyn Nogrekar Shirazi has told that as soon as possible it is necessary to start a new stage of negotiations. The place exchange of delegations at different levels has yielded positive results, in particular concerning Kazakhstan and Russia.
For the first time in history of Iran-Russia cooperation, two important power agreements are signed and practical realisation of these agreements will begin as soon as possible.

Recently, from Azerbaijan begun petroleum and gas deliveries have begun on an equivalent circuit. Visits of several delegations thereupon have taken place. The Azerbaijan party shows interest in the expansion of cooperation with Iran with allowance for its potential, however, about the increase in scope of supply on an equivalent circuit discussions have not been conducted yet.
Concerning negotiations with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, the deputy minister of petroleum has told that cooperation with these two countries was left on a level which was not there before. For the purpose of definition further activity, joint working groups and committees in the field of power are created.

Further, Hoseyn Nogrekar Shirazi has underlined that -- as repeatedly declared -- Iran is the safest and simplest route of transportation of petroleum and gas from the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus in the direction of the Persian Gulf, and the best variant for such transportation from North to the South "is represented in MTK". Proceeding from it, Iran also builds the policy on expansion of cooperation with the named countries.
According to the deputy minister of petroleum, Iran is one of large partners of Azerbaijan on working out of the first turn of the gas deposit Shah Deniz. Operation of this deposit has already begun and, accordingly, export deliveries of gas have begun. As soon as possible, Azerbaijan will start working out the second turn of Shah Deniz and Iran again will represent itself as its reliable partner.