Bloomberg: U.S. Ally Azerbaijan to Exclude Iran From Gas Pipeline to Europe

Azerbaijan plans to exclude Naftiran Intertrade Co., a partner in the BP Plc-led Shah Deniz natural- gas development, from a pipeline project to Europe from the Caspian region.

“Nico’s participation in the Trans-Anatolia pipeline or other pipelines is not being considered,” Vaqif Aliyev, head of State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan’s investments department, said by e- mail, referring to Naftiran, which is a unit of National Iranian Oil Co. “It has not been invited to join.”

Nico holds 10 percent of Shah Deniz, which is estimated to contain 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas, enough to supply demand in the European Union for about 2 1/2 years.  MORE