Energy ministers of Iraq and Turkey have agreed to hold talks over export of natural gas by pipeline from northeastern Iraq to Turkey as part of a $2 billion project, reported Middle East Economic Survey (MEES).
MEES said Amir Rashid, Iraq's Minister of Oil, and Recai Kutan, Turkey's Minister of Energy, agreed to set up specialized committees to debate feasibility of building a 1 bcfd gas pipeline.
The talks resulted from a memorandum of understanding signed in March 1996 by Iraq's Northern Oil Co. and Turkiye Petrol Raffinerileri.
Kutan reportedly told a Turkish news agency late in December that the pipeline project would not violate United Nations sanctions again Iraq, but pre-construction work would be completed before the embargo is lifted.
Development work
MEES said the project also will involve development of six gas fields in northeastern Iraq with total nonassociated gas reserves of 270 billion cu m, along with a similar volume of gas from the gas caps of oil producing fields in the area.
MEES said gas fields allocated to the pipeline project are: Al-Anfal with proven gas reserves of 50 billion cu m; Chemchemal with proven reserves of 60 billion cu m; Jaria Pika with 25 billion cu m; Khashm Al-Ahmar with 40 billion cu m; Al-Mansuriyah with 90 billion cu m; and Tel Ghazzal with 5 billion cu m.
Limited exploration work has been carried out in these fields apart from Al-Anfal. Initial plans call for development of Al-Mansuriyah and Al-Anfal, with a gas production center in each field.
MEES said plans call for gas to be transported to Turkey's Anatolia region through a 1,380-km pipeline with two gas compressor stations. Total cost of field development and pipeline construction is estimated at $2 billion.
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