Spokesman for the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Majid Boujarzadeh, said Friday that Iran is currently exporting 30 million cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey.
Referring to recent request by the Turkish Botas for buying more gas from Iran, the official said the request was being considered by NIGC officials.
"If Turkey’s gas supply network has enough capacity to receive more gas, Tehran is ready to give more gas to Ankara," he added.
Boujarzadeh said the total natural gas consumption in Iran stands at about 550 million cubic meters a day with a daily average of 400 million cubic meters of gas consumed by houses, businesses and small industries.
Earlier on Friday, Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said his country has resumed importing natural gas from Iran after a temporary halt caused by technical difficulties.
The supply of natural gas from Iran and Azerbaijan to Turkey fell on Tuesday due to compressor station technical glitches in both countries.
Yildiz said Iranian technical experts have made the needed repairs to the relevant pump, adding Iran’s natural gas flow to Turkey will increase in stages.
Iran, which owns the world's second-largest natural gas reserves after Russia, is Turkey's second-biggest supplier after Moscow.
According to reports, Iran exports an average daily amount of more than 30 million cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey, indicating a daily growth of 11 million cubic meters compared to 2010.
In 2009, Iran exported an average of 21 million cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey per day valued at almost USD 7 billion.
press tv/281
An Iranian energy official says despite recent technical problems, which caused a temporary halt in Iran's gas flow to Turkey, the country is ready to increase gas exports to its northwestern neighbor.
News ID 181480
