Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 9 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
At present, within swap operations to meet the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic's needs the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) daily exports 1.1-1.2 million cubic meters of gas to Iran, a source in the oil and gas market said.
"Now 1-1.2 million cubic meters of gas is supplied to Iran carries to provide Nakhchivan with gas," the source said.
Azerbaijan and Iran are connected with the Gazi-Magomed-Astara-Bind-Biand gas pipeline, 1,474.5-kilometers long. Its capacity was 10 billion cubic meters a year, but now it is lower. This route is a branch of the Gazakh-Astara-Iran pipeline commissioned in 1971. Three compressor stations - Gazi-Magomed, Aghdash and Gazakh were built.
At present, SOCAR is expanding the capacity of the gas compressor station in Astara to increase gas supplies to Iran. Also it is envisaged to reconstruct gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Iran. After completion of these works it is envisaged to sign a contract for long-term supplies and increase the amounts to 3-3.5 million cubic meters per day from the current 1.2 million cubic meters.