Tehran, Iran, May 6
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iran's gas production will exceed the country's domestic consumption in the next calendar year (to start on March 21, 2015), so it can diversify its gas customers.
Iranian deputy oil minister Ali Majedi said that Iran can export gas to Europe via three pipelines, the Fars News Agency reported on May 6.
"Turkey pipeline is the cheapest way," Majedi explained, adding that Tehran can also export gas to Europe viva Iraq-Syria-Lebanon-Mediterranean pipeline or a sub-sea pipeline to Mediterranean.
In regards to Iran-Switzerland agreement over gas export, Majedi said that the deal was halted due to sanctions.
"Europeans have always been willing to import gas from Iran, but sanctions prevented them from signing contracts," he said.
However, Iran plans to export gas to energy-hungry Europe.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on May 3 that the country plans to export gas to Europe via pipeline or in the form of LNG (liquid gas).
"Europeans prefer to diversify their gas and energy sources," Zanganeh said. "Europeans started negotiations to import Iranian gas 9 years ago. But apparently the talks were halted in the previous years."
Zanganeh went on to note that Iran is a country capable of exporting large volumes of gas and is always willing to provide gas to Europe.
"Once the phases of South Pars gas field come on stream in next [Iranian calendar] year (to start on March 1, 2015), Iran will have extra gas to export," he said.
Zanganeh said on April 19 that Iran plans to export 80 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to Asia and Europe in calendar year 1400 (March 2021-March 2022).
"We are planning to export 80 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey, Europe, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Persian Gulf Arab states in calendar year 1400," he said, Iran's IRNA news agency reported.
"We should boost oil, gas, electricity, and petrochemicals through diversifying sale methods and cooperating with the private sector," he said, adding that the country's oil refining capacity is projected to rise to three million barrels per day.
In March, Zanganeh said Iran forecasts an increase in its crude oil and natural gas production in the current Iranian calendar year 1393, which began on March 21.
Iran's crude oil output is forecast to increase by about 200,000 barrels per day to 4 million barrels per day, and its daily natural gas output is forecast to increase by about 100 million cubic meters per day to 400 million cubic meters per day.