Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 27 / Trend , corr. A.Badalova/ Iran's producing capacity will be insufficient to make the country a serious claimant for the role of a gas supplier at the fist stage of the Nabucco project, International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report.
"The Islamic Republic possesses huge gas reserves, ambitious plans to increase gas production, and a great gas export potential. But in a middle-term outlook, there may be lack of gas intended for export, because most part of the produced fuel will go to domestic consumption," the report says.
Iran plans to achieve gas production peak in 2017 - 500bln cu m per year.
The first construction stage of the Nabucco pipeline will commence in 2010 and will include laying of a pipeline between Turkey and Austria with the length of 2,000km. Operating pipeline capacities at the Turkey-Georgia, Turkey-Israel borders will be commissioned in next two years.
The second construction stage of Nabucco to be completed by late 2014 includes construction of a section at the Turkey-Georgia and Turkey-Iran borders.
Development of the Stage-2 of the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan will be the main gas supply resource to Nabucco by 2015. Shah Deniz reserves are variously assessed, but production in the field may bring additional 12-15bln cu m after 2013, with 9-12bln of which may be exported, the report says.
Maximum capacity of the Nabucco pipeline will total 31bln cu m per year. Nabucco participating interests are Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE, each owning 16.67%.
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