MNA � NIGC managing director said negotiations had been held with the Iraqi side over banking issues and 50 million cubic meters of gas will be deployed to the neighboring country.


Speaking on the sidelines of Iran Oil Show 2017, Managing Director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hamidreza Araghi said required facilities for gas supply were being manufactured domestically adding �all power plants of the country currently use natural gas as the consumption volume of distillate fuel has fallen from 47% in 2013 to less than 10 percent now.�

Natural gas has been supplied to 9200 villages, said Araghi, the measure exerted a significant impact in reducing migration from countryside to cities on the one hand and boosted job creation on the other.

The official, while noting that Chabahar gas pipeline will be soon constructed, said the project has been estimated to require 1.3 billion dollars.

Deputy oil minister went on to highlight that, in the gas sector, Iran had made a leap forward from self-sufficiency to self-reliance.

In response to a question on new gas export markets and status of previous markets, NIGC head explained �presently, negotiations have been made with Iraqis to solve banking problems and to open required LCs and we need to consider exports of 50 million dollars of gas to the neighboring country.�

�Meanwhile, talks have been also conducted with Oman and Afghanistan and, so far, Herat seems to be a good export destination,� he concluded.