Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend:
Iran's ambassador in Azerbaijan says the country has received proposals from Trans Anatolian and Trans Adriatic pipeline consortiums to take shares in these projects.
Iran plans to raise its gas production to 368 billion cubic meters per annum (bcm/a) by 2019. Meanwhile, the country's gas export would reach to 80 bcm/a by 2022. Iran's Outlook Plan Document has envisaged exporting gas to Europe. At present, Iran has obligation to export 52 bcm/a of gas based on signed memorandum of understandings (MoU) and agreements to Iraq, Oman, Pakistan and Turkey, but it has realized only exporting 10 bcm/a to Turkey currently.
Hamid Khalouzadeh, an energy expert in Iran told Trend that exporting the natural gas to EU seems be priority for Iran principally, but the conditions should be prepared first.
"The sanctions on Iran should be removed and this would take time. On the other hand, Iran must start negotiations around the issue just now. however, the grounds for realization of Iranian gas delivery to EU is ready generally," he said.
EU is keen to reach rich Caspian basin natural gas by 2019.
|
Iran's gas consumption |
2014 (bcm) |
2013 (bcm) |
|
Housing sector |
91 |
88.9 |
|
Industrial sector |
32.45 |
29.8 |
|
Power plants |
50.5 |
36.8 |
|
Re-injection |
33.9 |
32.9 |
|
Flaring |
11.7 |
11.7 |
|
Export |
10 |
9 |
|
Total |
229.55 |
209.1 |
Turkmenistan is still hesitating to export its gas via Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. This comes as Russia's gas export to Europe decreased by 14.3 bcm in 2014 compared to the previous year. On the other hand, Europe is planning to lessen by 25 percent its dependence on Russian gas by 2020. It's expected some 16 bcm/a of Azerbaijan's gas produced in Shah Deniz Stage 2 be exported to Turkey and Europe in 2019 through the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
The head of Communications at TAP Lisa Givert told Trend on April 7 that this project is open to addition of new shareholders. Givert was commenting on the possible interest from Iran in acquiring a share in TAP project following the removal of sanctions imposed on the country over its disputed nuclear program.
On the other hand, the president of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company Rovnag Abdullayev told reporters Apr. 4 that Iran is interested in purchasing a stake in the TANAP.
Mohsen Pak Ayeen, Iran's ambassador to Baku told Trend April 21 that presence in global gas markets is the Islamic Republic's principal policy. He confirmed that Iran has received offers about participating in TAP and TANAP projects.
The European Union has banned importing Iranian gas in 2012, but in the light of hopes raised on reaching a comprehensive nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, it's expected that EU ban on Iran gas be eliminated by mid-2015.
Fuad Izadi another Iranian expert told Trend that, first of all, the construction of needed infrastructures aimed at delivering Iranian gas to EU should start and be ready. "The pipelines, LNG firms as well as needed equipments for its transit should be prepared and these need huge amount of investment and time. However, we remain hopeful for lifting the sanctions as a background for the realization of these projects," he added.