A piece on Iran’s ambitions, which are huge (when one considers the obstacles), for Petroleum Economist’s October issue I’m afraid Ramezani was sacked after giving me this interview. The full thing is on PE’s website, for subscribers only, I’m afraid.
Iran is determined to join the ranks of the world’s largest gas exporters. But its grand plans look a tall order, writes Derek Brower
IRAN WANTS to fill half of the proposed Nabucco gas pipeline to Europe. It hopes to draw $100bn of foreign capital into its energy sector in the next five years. It is seeking 10% of the global gas market and says it will be exporting almost 40m tonnes a year (t/y) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the world “soon”.
For a country still facing the threat of international sanctions for its alleged nuclear-weapons programme, banned by the US as a destination for many multinational firms and hamstrung by unpopular contracts governing upstream investment, those targets look a tall order.
They were announced in an exclusive interview with Petroleum Economist last month by Azizollah Ramezani, the deputy energy minister and head of the state-owned National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC). Brushing aside concerns that Iran’s nuclear stand-off with the US would hobble the country’s ambitions, Ramezani said energy would be the key to a re-engagement of his country with the West. (…)
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