Iran hosts Turkmen energy delegation

It is expected the two sides negotiations to be focused on expanding bilateral cooperation on energy. Hosain Noghrekar Shirazi, deputy minister of petroleum for commercial and international affairs, Javad Oji, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Gholamreza Manochehri managing director of the Petro Pars Company and some other oil officials accompany the petroleum minister in the meeting.

Bilateral cooperation in oil industry especially in gas sector will reinforce Iran’s position in energy transit, this is while Turkmenistan can not only sale gas to Iran but also use Iran’s position to export gas to Europe and Asia.

The two countries have 1260 km common borders in sea and land that is a privilege for them to expand strategic cooperation including in energy sector.

Iran’s situation also provides the best route for swap and transit of oil and gas from Turkmenistan.

Turkmensitan with 488,100 square km, located in northeast of Iran, is  rich with oil and gas.

The first phase of the second Iran-Turkmenistan gas pipeline was inaugurated January this year in the presence of the two countries presidents. This gas pipeline with a capacity of 45 million cubic meters per day is under construction in two phases.

By launching the pipeline, Turkmen’s gas transfer to Iran will rise from 8 to 14 billion cubic meters annually.

The pipeline is 35 kilometers long and the two sides have agreed to increase the gas transfer capacity to Iran to 14 bcm this Iranian calendar year 1389 (ends on 20 March 2011) with the potential to increase to 20 bcm in the future.