Iran wants Turkish companies for energy projects

Iran is seeking to extend engagement with Turkish companies especially in upstream and downstream projects, a top Iranian energy official said on July 12.        

"We will welcome greater engagement by Turkish companies into Iranian upstream and downstream projects," Amir Hossein Zamaninia, Iran's petroleum for trade and international affairs deputy minister, told  state-run Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress.        

"Turkey is one of our customers. We have a long-term contract to supply oil to Turkey, which is going pretty well," Zamaninia said.         

"Iran started to deliver 3 billion cubic meters [bcm] of gas per year to Turkey in 2001, and gas deliveries are expected to reach 10 bcm per year," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, referring to the Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement signed with Iran in 1996. 

Zamaninia, meanwhile, said there were many common grounds for investment between Iran and Turkey.   

"We need to work together to find projects that suit both companies in Turkey and Iran, which have plenty," he added.        

Zamaninia, at the congress in Istanbul, said he was already in contact with several Turkish companies but did not disclose any further details.    
    
"Turkish companies are into power generation, importation of gas and oil, and we want to encourage them to engage in upstream projects as well," he said.        

Many areas in Iran still untapped  
             
Speaking about Iran's hydrocarbon reserves, the Iranian official said the country's production had not reached its maximum capacity yet.        

"Production is much less relatively speaking to the reserves that we have. Therefore, the cost of...