Turkey to help Iraq on natural gas

Friday, 16 October 2009

Turkish Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said on Thursday that Turkey would make technical and training assistance to Iraq on natural gas.

Yildiz said, "talks in Baghdad regarding energy area were discussed under three main topics; oil, natural gas and electricity". Yildiz said, "a study will be carried out to direct private sector, building natural gas power plants, to Iraq. Pumping of 8 billion cubic meters natural gas from Iraq to Turkey is planned at the first stage." Yildiz said, "Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline has 70 million tone capacity. It currently works with 18 percent capacity.

We will make a 15-year agreement about this. Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline is a departure gate for Iraq. We want this pipeline to work in full capacity."

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http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=48543

New pipeline to transport Iraqi gas via Turkey

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=132627


The state-owned Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTAŞ) has launched feasibility studies for the Turkish segment of the planned Iraq-Turkey natural gas pipeline, to be built parallel to the existing Kirkuk-Yumurtalık oil pipeline. BOTAŞ will complete the segment of pipeline that crosses through Turkey's territory along a Silopi-Bismil-Şırnak-Diyarbakır-Yumurtalık line.

The project aims to transfer 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Iraqi natural gas annually to the Turkish and world markets. The project management will be carried out by the Iraqi Oil Ministry and the BOTAŞ-Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) joint initiative, according to a memorandum of understanding signed on Aug.17, 2007, between the Turkish and Iraqi energy ministers.

The project will be completed by private contractor Tekfen, TPAO and BOTAŞ according to projections as to developments in Iraq and the energy need in European markets.

The project is an integrated one covering the exploration, extraction, processing and transportation of natural gas in Iraq's northeast. Around 10 bcm of natural gas will be extracted from five different fields and then transported to world markets through Turkey.

The construction tender will be held by BOTAŞ, as was the case with previous projects, and the tender will be open to international bidders. The pipeline will be 30-40 inches wide and will include many pump stations, proportional to the amount of gas the line is to carry. A liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal will be established in Yumurtalık to process and transport a portion of the gas to world markets via supertanker.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Güler previously said talks regarding the Iraq-Turkey natural gas pipeline were on track and that the estimated 280 bcm of natural gas in Iraqi reserves would be exported to European markets via Turkey.

28.01.2008
Today's Zaman Ankara