National Iranian Gas Company is bent on accelerating construction and completion of the national gas network, especially the parts that will boost Iran’s gas exports to its neighbours. Mohammad Reza Ghodsizadeh said that the company is expediting completion of a strategic 600-km pipeline which will carry Iran’s gas to neighbouring Iraq.
"Construction of the project will boost gas delivery capacity in western and north-western regions of the country, adding to its export capacity," he said. He further said pipelines in eastern and southern regions of the country are also being considered by NIGC for picking up speed.
NIGC has already completed a pipeline to export natural gas to Iraq and is waiting for the Iraqi side to voice its readiness to receive Iran’s natural gas. Iran and Iraq signed a 6-year gas deal in November based on which the former will supply Iraq with a daily amount of 25mcm of natural gas according to a schedule.
Based on the deal, signed by NIGC head and Iraqi Deputy Minister of Electricity Khalid Hassan Saleh, Iran will supply 20mcm/d of natural gas to Basra in cold seasons and 35mcm/d in hot seasons of the year. Gas exports to Basra will start with a daily volume of 7 mcm which could increase to 20 mcm/d in three phases.
Iran has prepared the required infrastructures to send gas to Iraq. The deal makes Iraq Iran’s biggest gas customer as it allows the selling of 40 mcm/d to 65 mcm/d of its gas to Iraqi cities.