Turkmenistan to supply Iraq with 20 million cubic meters of gas per day - Iraqi media

ASHGABAT. Oct 21 (Interfax) - Iraqi Electricity Minister Ziad Ali Fadel has signed an agreement with Turkmenistan for daily supplies of 20 million cubic meters of gas, Iraqi media reported.

These supplies will play an important role in enhancing the country's electricity infrastructure, Fadel said. "This amount of imported gas will contribute to the full operation of our gas-powered plants, ensuring stability for the national grid," he said.

Gas from Turkmenistan will be transported to Iraq through the Iranian gas pipeline network as part of a swap mechanism in cooperation with the Switzerland-based company Loxstone Energy, he said.

"The signing of this agreement is the culmination of over a year of intensive technical efforts, which included multiple meetings, reciprocal visits and the signing of a memorandum of understanding last year," Fadel was quoted as saying by the Iraqi publication Shafaq News.

Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of Turkmengaz state concern Maksat Babayev has traveled to Baghdad on an official visit, during which he held a meeting with Iraqi Oil Minister and Deputy Prime Minister responsible for energy issues Hayyan Abdul Ghani.

At the meeting, the sides discussed expanding cooperation on oil and energy matters and noted that Iraq and Turkmenistan have great potential in this area, the Iraqi news agency INA reported, citing the Iraqi Oil Ministry.

The Turkmen state gas company Turkmengaz and the Iraqi Electricity Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding on natural gas deliveries in October 2023. Iraq at the time displayed an interest in receiving around 10 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan on swap terms via Iranian territory.

Turkmengaz Deputy CEO Myrat Arcayew said in Ashgabat in October last year that Turkmenistan intended to ship 9 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Iraq under a swap agreement involving Iran.

The Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in July 2024 that Ashgabat and Tehran had signed a contract for 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year, which Turkmenistan would supply to Iraq via Iranian territory based on swap terms. To expand gas transport infrastructure, Iranian companies are expected to build a 125-kilometer long gas pipeline and three gas compressor stations to ship extra amounts of gas to Iran.

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