IGEDC Plans to Lay 5,000 km of Gas Pipeline in Iran by 2021

Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company (IGEDC) plans to lay 5,000 kilometers of gas pipeline and build 25 gas compressor stations by the end of the sixth five-year development plan (2016-21), the head of IGEDC told state owned media agency Shana on Monday.

Hassan Montazer Torbati said that the mega project would require around $15 billion worth of investment. He added that it would be impossible to raise such a huge sum of money without the help of foreign as well as domestic private investors.  

Commenting on company’s current projects, Torbati said that building infrastructure to export gas to Iraq is on the top the priority list. Iran is hopeful gas supplies to its neighbour will commence by middle of 2016.

The construction of Iran's gas trunklines 9 and 11, stretching from South Pars gas field, off the Persian Gulf coast, is also an important project for the company.

Iran is looking to diversify its gas exports market post sanctions. Tehran has given priority to countries in its immediate neighbourhood such as Iraq and Oman. Studies regarding construction of Iran-Oman gas pipeline is already underway. Iran has also said that it may hike gas exports to Armenia and Turkey. Tehran has urged Islamabad to speed up the construction of gas pipeline on its soil so that Iranian gas could start flowing into Pakistan, a nation facing severe energy shortage.