Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and Iranian Oil Minister Qolam Hosein Nozari signed a hydrocarbon memorandum on Sunday.
The document allows swap operations to Gazprom, which will deliver gas to northern Iran in exchange for gas deliveries from southern Iran to Gulf countries.
“Gazprom will deliver Turkmen gas purchased by Russia to northern Iran in exchange for gas deliveries from southern Iran to Gulf countries,” Shmatko said. Various options are under consideration. For instance, Gazprom may exchange Turkmen gas for crude, gas condensate, LNG or other types of fuel from southern Iran.
“Northern Iran has a major deficit of energy resources and no infrastructure for carrying hydrocarbons from southern areas,” Gazprom department head Stanislav Tsygankov said.
“There are several options in gas supplies to northern Iran. There is the Turkmen gas pipeline and the gas pipeline from Azerbaijan, which is not being used at present but is quite operational. We are ready to deliver hydrocarbons in exchange for deliveries from southern areas,” he said.
