FM: Nabucco Gas Pipeline in Dire Need of Iran's Gas Supply
Tehran, Dec. 09, 09 (Hamsayeh.Net) - Top Iranian officials dismissed a US claim on the proposed Nabucco pipeline that would carry natural gas from Asia to Europe, is able function without Iran’s supplying the gas.
In a recent interview, a US energy official claimed Iran was not in a geopolitical position to take part in energy projects in the southern European corridor. ‘We have been constantly saying that, in our opinion, Iran is not in a position to become a part of any new projects in the Southern Corridor,’ Richard Morningstar US Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy said.
Iranian Foreign Minister dismissed such a statement saying the pipeline would be without gas if Iran doesn’t supply it. ‘Speaking about the Nabucco pipeline without Iran's participation would amount to nothing but a pipeline void of gas,’ Mottaki told FNA after an Iran-UAE joint economic commission meeting here in Tehran on Tuesday. Mottaki also added, ‘We have never heard that Europeans have entrusted the Americans with their authority to decide on the pipeline.’
Other Iranian oil officials voiced similar comments on the subject. Iran’s Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari spoke to reporters last week saying Iran’s participation in the project was essential since member states will not be able to supply the needed gas for the project.
The proposed pipeline would cost 8 billion euros to build and could carry over 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Europe from Iran, Central Asia and Azerbaijan via Turkey. Participants of the project are Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE companies.
Iran holds some of the largest gas deposits in the world and due to its sheer size and geographic location it is able to supply the needed gas for continental markets like Europe or Indian Sub-continent over long periods.
MSN - - - Wikipedia - Hamsayeh.Net
