Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 11 / Trend, A.Yusifzade /
A number of International Oil Companies are interested in cooperation with Iran but some political issues have forced them to reduce the level of their contacts, even though some of them continue their cooperation, Shana quoted Iranian minister of petroleum , Seyed Masoud Mirkazemi as sayind.
Mirkazemi says holding an extraordinary meeting by OPEC is not necessary.
Speaking on the sidelines of paying a visit to different units of the National Iranian Gas Company main office, Iranian minister of petroleum who also acts as OPEC's president, said: 'If oil prices to increase to $100 or more it is not worrying and does not justify holding an extraordinary meeting by OPEC.
Mirkazemi who was responding to reports questions during the visit noted that price of oil is just $11 in real terms.
On the development of the Iran-Iraq shared oil fields, Mirkazemi noted that a joint committee is studying some mutually interested issues including idle shared oil fields.
He continued: 'Cooperation in development of shared oil fields meets the national interests of countries, so oil and gas extraction from reservoirs should be in a manner that could be used for many years.'
In connection with gas export to Turkey, Iran's minister of petroleum noted that currently 30 million cubic meters of gas is being exported to the neighboring country.
Replying to a question on the recent meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mirkazemi said: 'Different issues including investment, oil products trade and natural gas prices were on the meeting's agenda.'
Another reporter asked if Turkey asked reducing natural gas price, Mirkazemi replied that increasing or decreasing gas prices is an expertise issue that should be dealt with professionally.
On gas import from Turkmenistan, Mirkazemi noted that by launching Sarakhs gas pipeline, gas import capacity has increased by 20 million cubic meters per day to 40 million cm/d.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the official stated that by implementation of upgrading projects and improving the quality of gasoline produced by domestic oil refineries, as well as falling daily gasoline consumption from 66 to 53 million liters, gasoline production by petrochemical units is not needed any longer.