Page 12 - FSUOGM Week 23

FSUOGM PROJECTS & COMPANIES FSUOGM
Gazprom evaluating Iran gas projects, but not Oman pipeline
RUSSIA
A Gazprom o cial said last week that the com- pany was considering participating in projects in Iran, but its interest does not extend to develop- ing the subsea gas line to Oman.
Quoted by Russian outlet TASS, Gazprom’s deputy CEO Vitaly Markelov said the rm was “not showing interest in participation in the” pipeline project”, adding that it was “at the stage of considering participation in projects in Iran”.
eRussiancompanyanditsoila liateGaz- prom Ne have irted with several major oil and gas projects since Moscow and Tehran agreed to a ra of energy-related deals worth up to US$30 billion in November 2017.
One of these saw Gazprom agree terms with the Industrial Development and Renovation Organisation of Iran (IDRO) fund to co-operate at unspeci ed oil, gas and energy projects.
“ e Industrial Development and Renova- tion Organisation of Iran (IDRO) is fully ready to co-operate with Gazprom ... and this memo- randum of understanding [MoU] will help Gaz- prom take advantage of industrial opportunities in Iran,” IDRO chairman Mansour Moazzami was quoted as saying by Tehran’s IRNA news agency at the time.
is was followed a month later by an MoU for Gazprom co-operate on an LNG project in the country, with further memoranda signed for gas sector co-operation late last year.
Gazprom’s continued interest was corrobo- rated by a senior advisor to the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) who told MEOG the rm “is still interested and they are doing preparatory talks with the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) concerning Changooleh and Cheshmeh Khosh. e focus of their work seems to have slanted toward oil since May 2017.” He added: “Earlier there were talks about Yadavaran/West Karoun which were more [focused on] gas.”
Oman conduit
A key part of Iran’s LNG plans revolve around building the Iran-Oman gas pipeline, with some to be used by domestic Omani consumers and some directed towards Oman LNG at Qalhat so that the gas can be re-exported.
“ e tie-up is important here as [Oman] has shown itself to be independent of any US pres- sure in trying to negatively target Iran over the years,”asourcetoldMEOG.
A deal was agreed between Tehran and Mus- cat in 2015 for the development of the long- awaited subsea conduit with 10.2 bcm per year of gas ows anticipated within 15 years.
e proposal for the Iran-Oman pipeline was given the go ahead early last year, with specific plans for construction having been dra ed and now being worked on in-depth both on Iran’s side and by Gazprom, which Iran tapped up to advise on and drive development of the line.
These plans, according to an earlier com- ment by Alireza Kameli, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Co. (NIGEC), involve Iran utilising around 25% of Oman’s total 1.5 million tpy liquefaction capacity that is cur- rently unused to produce Iranian LNG. is will be loaded for export in return for commission payments to Oman.
It will also involve the construction of a 200-km land pipeline from Rudan to Mobarak Mount in the southern Hormuzgan province and another pipeline running on the seabed between Iran and Sohar Port in Oman.
Instead of the originally envisaged shallower option – of around 300 metres – the pipeline designed to avoid UAE waters will now go as deep as 1,000 metres below the sea’s surface. Gazprom was seen at the time as providing the additional funding.™
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w w w . N E W S B A S E . c o m Week 23 12•June•2019