Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Managing Director of the Iranian National Gas Company Hamid Reza Araqi said that Iran is ready to provide Kuwait with gas.
The Islamic Republic is capable to export gas to Kuwait via Iraq, Araqi said.
He further said that the project will be operational if the sides reach an agreement on the issue, the Oil Ministry's official SHANA news agency reported April 12.
While commenting on Iran's gas exports to Iraq, the official said that Iran is ready to start exports by May.
Iran is planning to export 5-7 million cubic meters of gas to Baghdad per day in the first stage, Araqi said, adding the figure will reach 25 million cubic meters per day(mcm/d) in the future.
A pipeline from Iran's Ilam Province in western region towards Baghdad has almost been completed and initial delivery of 4 mcm/d of gas is projected by May.
A second route to deliver 35 mcm/d of Iranian gas towards Iraq's Basrah also is projected, however hasn't started yet.
Araqi said that the agreement for construction of the pipeline which will carry Iran's gas from Ahwaz city to Basrah will be signed soon, adding the pipeline's construction needs 1.5 year.
Araqi earlier said that the gas export to Iraq will bring Iran $4-6 billion a year.
All of the Gulf's Arab states, except Qatar, need gas imports. Among them, Iran has two contracts with Iraq and one memorandum of understanding with Oman to export 60 million and 30 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, respectively.
Iran also signed a contract to deliver 14 mcm/d of sour gas to UAE in 2001, but the contract was canceled later during ex-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office due to price disputes and corruption claims on the contract.
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