Iraq Discusses Possible Deal to Import Gas from Turkey
SEATTLE (Oil Monster): The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, and the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, discussed on Sunday a possible deal related to gas imports from Turkey to meet Iraq’s needs for fuel to operate power plants.
During their meeting in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the two sides discussed issues pertaining to oil, natural gas, and electricity as well as ways to expand their current energy sector cooperation in a way that reflects the close ties between Iraq and Turkey and serves their respective needs, according to a statement released by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
In addition to Turkey’s electricity supplies to Iraq to help cover the shortfall during times of high demand, the meeting covered strategies to encourage Turkish companies to increase their investments in Iraq’s oil and gas industries. It also covered the significance of finishing the electricity interconnection project by putting the required technical procedures in place as soon as possible.
To help fulfill some of the demands of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and the city of Mosul, the two parties decided to boost the amount of power that Turkey will supply to Iraq.
The two sides also talked about expanding Iraq’s oil export capacity to reach the European market by extending the contract for the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline, which carries oil from northern Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
During a separate meeting with the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, the Turkish minister stated that the Iraq-Turkey electrical interconnection project would raise electricity supplies to Iraq to 600 megawatts in the upcoming months, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Bayraktar also expressed his country’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Iraq in several areas, especially the energy sector.
Last July, the Turkish and Iraqi governments successfully established an electrical interconnection line that currently provides Iraq with 300 megawatts of electricity.
The Iraqi government is apparently attempting to expand its electricity imports from neighboring Turkey following statements made by Iraqi officials last week that the United States’ sanctions waiver for the import of Iranian electrical power has been canceled.
Additionally, the spokesperson of the US Department of State, Tammy Bruce, said earlier in March that the US administration is urging the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible.
Iraq is primarily dependent on Iranian energy imports, but in addition to diversifying its energy supplies, it has lately made numerous investments to begin utilizing flared gas and renewable energy to produce power.
Courtesy: www.iraqinews.com