Iran is once again investigating gas exports to Europe through an exchange with the Soviet Union.
Javed Yarjani, National Iranian Oil Co.'s crude oil marketing manager, told the Oil and Money conference in London countries in eastern and western Europe alike could be supplied by such an exchange.
The joint Iran-Soviet Economic Commission (ISEC) meeting in Baku, U.S.S.R., last month agreed to pursue the project and get it operational during 1991, IRNA, the official Iranian news agency reported.
Yarjani said a delegation from Iran was scheduled to conduct talks with potential customers in Europe the latter part of October.
Before the revolution, Iran was involved in detailed discussions on a deal to deliver gas to southern regions of the Soviet Union. European customers would be supplied with similar volumes from other Soviet sources.
Although ISEC wants to activate exports to Europe, Iran will have to upgrade its gas delivery systems.
The IGAT-2 gas pipeline from Kangan to the Soviet border was to have been an integral part of an earlier proposed delivery system, but work was suspended during the revolution.
Completion of the line would be required for a new proposal, along with a substantial increase in capacity of the Kangan gas processing plant.
SOVIET, OPEC OIL
Vladimir Arutunian, chairman of VO Sojuznefteexport, Moscow, told the conference crude oil production in the Soviet Union this year is likely to be 11.6-11.7 million b/d.
The minimum volume required to keep the country from running into problems in various sectors of the economy is 11.5-11.6 million b/d.
Arutunian said the Soviet Union needs to tackle energy conservation, upgrade its refineries, and reduce flaring of associated gas.
Flaring in 1988 amounted to 1.16 bcfd.
Nigerian Oil Minister Jibril Aminu said oil production by the 13 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will rise to 28 million b/d by 1995 and 32 million b/d by the turn of the century.
Reaching 32 million b/d would require spending of about $60 billion, a sum OPEC members would find difficult to raise. Nigeria alone would have to spend $7-8 billion.
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