Noting that gas export balance is currently less than two percent, the deputy minister of petroleum for gas affairs said: currently we export 25 million cubic meters of gas a day to Turkey, while importing about 20 mcm/d from Turkmenistan.
The official said that some European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Hungary are interested to receive Iran’s gas, adding Iran and Turkey, under their contract, are negotiating to sell gas to some European countries.
On selling gas to the United Arab Emirates, Oji pointed out that legal process of the subject is under consideration in Iranian presidency headquarters.
According to Oji, Iran’s gas pipelines crossing Turkey, Iraq and Syria are real rivals to Nabucco project. He went on to say that in the long term, Iran will be one of the main suppliers of gas to Europe and nobody can deny it.
The statistics show that Iran’s proven gas reserves stand at 29.6 tcf, 32 percent of it in onshore and 68 percent in offshore fields. Iran also sits atop the world’s second biggest gas reserves after Russia.
European countries plan to reduce their dependence on gas import from Russian by building 3300 km Nabucco gas pipeline staring from Caspian Sea and reaching to Austria by crossing Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungry.
Meanwhile one of the most important points in Iran and Turkey deal is laying the ground for transferring gas from Iran to Europe. Under the deal, Iran can access to European market through Turkey territory and at the same time Turkmenistan gas will reach Turkey by crossing Iran’s land.