Iran is once again trying to talk up plans to start gas exports to Oman, which like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is facing a short-term gas shortage, the semi-official Fars News agency reported. This comes as the two countries held a series of meetings in Tehran this week to discuss opportunities for the expansion of economic and parliamentary cooperation in a range of different fields.
Speaking on 15 April, Iran’s ambassador to Muscat Ali Akbar Sibouyeh claimed work would soon begin on the construction of a 200km subsea pipeline which would carry gas from Iran’s Kish field in the Strait of Hormuz to the Musandam peninsula in the sultanate’s north. “We will give good news to the two countries’ people about the construction of the Iran-Oman gas pipeline soon, and will celebrate its inauguration together,” Mr Sibouyeh was quoted as saying by Fars. The Kish field alone holds up to 36 tcf of gas, and Iran has said it is aiming for a first production phase of 1bn cfd. Oman has increased its gas production over the last decade or so, but domestic demand growth has left it facing a gas feedstock shortage. Its biggest gas producer Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) aims to boost output from new discoveries, and also reduce its own gas use by improving efficiency. (CONTINUED - 309 WORDS)
