SOCAR
'Azerbaijan currently swaps supplies of gas with Iran to meet the needs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,' the head of SOCAR's investment department, Vagif Aliyev, told reporters today.
'The commercial gas supplies to Iran will start in late March after reconstruction of the compressor station in Astara is completed,' Aliyev said.
SOCAR said that it is currently sending Iran 1.3m cubic metres of gas per day as part of the swap deal for Nakhchivan.
SOCAR had earlier planned to start commercial exports of Azerbaijani gas to Iran in late February 2010. Daily exports of 1.2-1.5m cu.m are proposed. The gas will be supplied via the Kazi-Magomed - Astara gas pipeline.
SOCAR and the National Iranian Gas Export Company, NIGEC signed a short-term contract on supplies of Azerbaijani gas to Iran on 13 January 2010. The contract envisages the supply of about 100m cu.m of Azerbaijani gas to Iran in winter.
Rufat Aliyev
News.Az
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