Iran welcomes gas trade with Turkmenistan: NIGC head

Teheran, August 25 - Neftegaz.RU. The head of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hassan Torbati expressed Iran’s willingness to resume gas trade with Turkmenistan.

H.Torbati said on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of 3 plans for the 6th and 9th gas transmission lines, 5 compressor stations, Bushehr petrochemical and the west of Karoun:

• During the ICA ruling we expressed our interest to continue the import of Turkmenistan’s gas

He said there is enough capacity for gas swap with Iran’s neighbors, adding:

• Currently some companies are still looking for gas swaps to be able to bring gas from Turkmenistan
• The issue of gas exports to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey is also on the table
• We have prepared the ground and fortunately there is enough capacity for gas swap
• This means that we can receive gas in the Northeast and transit and swap it wherever necessary; this infrastructure is now ready

The official expressed hope that the 2 sides can resume their energy ties. Iran and Turkmenistan had a dispute over gas trades, which was addressed by the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) earlier this year.

The dispute dates back to 2007 when Turkmengaz stopped gas supplies to Iran because the Central Asian state was gripped by unseasonably cold temperatures that year.


NIGC had imported about 23 mcm of gas per day from Turkmenistan before the dispute.