The Europeans are seeking to diversity sources of energy supply in the Green Continent and after developing new phases of South Pars [gas field] Iran will have good potential for enhanced gas exports and it could be connected to the European gas network via eight routes, Azizollah Ramezani said.
For gas exports to Europe we cannot be limited to a single route or a specific pipeline and we will examine all existing options, he said.
There are seven to eight different routes for Iran to deliver its gas to Europe. One of them is Iran-Iraq-Syria route, he added.
Ramezani said Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea and trans-Turkey pipeline are other options.
He said that gas price is determined based on market conditions in Europe. The gas price is totally different in east and west Europe. Therefore, it depends on when the contract is signed and how long it would valid.
Ramezani said Iran can supply 25 bcm to 30 bcm of gas to Europe every year.
He said the 29-nation European Union depends on natural gas for 22 to 23% of its energy needs.
Iran sits on the worlds second largest gas reserves.
South Pars contains 40 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of natural gas. It covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which are in Irans territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers are situated in Qatars territorial waters.
The gas field is estimated to contain about eight percent of the worlds reserves, and approximately 18 billion barrels of condensate.
The main phase of South Pars gas field came on-stream in March, increasing Irans gas production by 100 mcm/d.
By SHANA
# Tags
