Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 11 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
Today, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Iranian national gas company signed the memorandum on mutual understanding on Azerbaijani gas supplies to Iran beginning from 2010, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev said today.
Not less than 500 million cubic per year are planned to be supplied within the memorandum with an opportunity to increase supplies. The volumes of supplied gas will depend on the state of gas infrastructure connecting countries at the initial stage.
The contract on purchase-sale of gas is expected to be signed by late 2009, Abdullayev said.
Azerbaijan has four directions of gas export, including Turkey, Georgia, Russia and Iran. At present, gas is exported to Turkey and Georgia. Azerbaijani gas will be exported to Russia from early 2010. At present, Azerbaijan exports gas upon swap conditions with further transfer of Iranian gas to provide the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Azerbaijan and Iran are connected with the Kazi-Magomed-Astara pipeline gas pipeline. Its length is 1474.5 kilometers, including the territory of Azerbaijan - 296.5 kilometers. Its capacity is 10 billion cubic meters per year. This route is a branch of the pipeline Gazakh-Astara-Iran, put into operation in 1971. Three compressor stations in Kazi-Magomed, Agdash and Gazakh have been built. The gas transportation system is 55 atmospheres. Pipe diameter is 1,200 mm.