Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 28
By Fatih Karimov- Trend:
Pakistan is determined to purchase gas from Iran, Alireza Kameli, head of National Iranian Gas Exports Company said.
Islamabad has never withdrawn from buying gas from Tehran, Kameli said, referring to a recent LNG contract signed between Pakistan and Qatar, Iran's ISNA news agency reported Feb. 28.
He further said that Pakistan's need for gas is bigger than the contract signed with Qatar, adding Islamabad is still following other options to import gas including TAPI pipeline.
Enjoying joint border with Iran is an advantage for Pakistan to receive gas in low costs, Kameli said.
He emphasized that gas import through the pipeline is the most economical option in particular in the short distances.
Earlier Amir Hossein Zamaninia, Iran's deputy oil minister said that Tehran supports Pakistan's policy of diversifying its gas import sources including buying much required natural gas from neighboring Iran.
"We are pleased that Pakistan can diversify its energy sources basket and Iran is well situated to assist its neighbor in this regard," Zamaninia said.
Pakistan said on February 10 that it had signed a 15-year agreement to import up to 3.75 million tons per year of LNG, or more than 14 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of natural gas from Qatar.
With the supply-demand gap in Pakistan standing at approximately 2-4 billion cubic feet per day, the LNG import from Qatar would help Islamabad to meet 20 percent of its energy needs.
Iran also has a contract with Islamabad to export 22 mcm/d of gas to this country, while Pakistan should have started gas intake in January 2015, but yet to start construction of pipeline on its territory.