The Chairman of the Board of the National Iranian Gas Exporting Company (NIGEC) and Member of the Board and International Affairs Manager of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Dr. Azizollah Ramazani, was one of the prominent speakers in IENE’s 9th SE Europe Energy Dialogue, which took place in Thessaloniki on June 29-30, 2016. Also a former Acting Head Deputy of Petroleum Ministry of I.R.Iran, Dr. Ramazani described the potential and opportunity for the gas industry of his country, and the significant role that SE Europe is going to play in itThe Chairman of the Board of the National Iranian Gas Exporting Company (NIGEC) and Member of the Board and International Affairs Manager of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Dr. Azizollah Ramazani, was one of the prominent speakers in IENE’s 9th SE Europe Energy Dialogue, which took place in Thessaloniki on June 29-30, 2016. Also a former Acting Head Deputy of Petroleum Ministry of I.R.Iran, Dr. Ramazani described the potential and opportunity for the gas industry of his country, and the significant role that SE Europe is going to play in it.
He noted that there is a contradiction between Iran’s proven reserves and its production: Iranian proved reserves are 34 tcm the largest in the world (of total 187 tcm), whereas its annual production is just the third largest in the world (192,5 bcm out of 3,539 bcm per year). On the contrary, USA with only the sixth largest proven reserves in the world (10,4 tcm) is the first producer (763,3 bcm/year), followed by Russia (573,3 bcm/year), which holds the second largest reserves globally (32,3).
As Dr. Ramazani noted, Iran’s natural gas production remains rigorous, despite the sanctions. Moreover, Tehran aims to increase its natural gas exports from 14 bcm in 2015 and 22 bcm (planned) in 2016, to 49 bcm next year and 74 bcm by the end of this decade.
The Chairman of the National Iranian Gas Exporting Company also stressed that his country’s export strategy puts great importance on pipeline projects. The most ambitious one, the so-called "Persian pipeline”, is planned to transport gas from Iran to Europe via Turkey. Its full length will be 3,300 km and its diameter will be 56 inches. Its full capacity is estimated at 37 bcm per year and the total amount of necessary investment will be 5-8 billion dollars.
Dr. Azizollah Ramazani noted that the entire SE Europe holds a significant
position in Iran’s future export strategy in the field of natural gas, as it is
strategically located between Middle East and the Caspian basin (including Iran
itself), two regions rich in natural gas resources, and Western and Central
Europe, two big energy –consuming regions.
So, as according to Dr. Ramazani, SE Europe is well positioned to play an important role in the transiting of gas resources and in the diversification of gas supplies, both within the region itself and for Europe as a whole, adding that Iran has the potential to be one of its major partners in this region.
