BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Azerbaijan signed an agreement with Iran to deliver natural gas to the northern Iranian provinces by the beginning of 2010.
The State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic and the National Iranian Gas Export Co. signed an agreement for Azeri gas supplies to northern Iran beginning in 2010, the Trend news agency reports.
In-place infrastructure would allow Azerbaijan to export 17.6 billion cubic feet of gas per year to Iran. Negotiations from the signing included talks on expanding that volume by boosting the capacity of gas compressor stations.
Mohammad Bagher Bahrami, the Iranian envoy to Azerbaijan, said his country plans to buy at least 175 billion cubic feet of Azeri gas in the future.
Both countries are connected currently through the 916-mile Kazi-Magomed-Astara gas pipeline. Its total capacity is 353 billion cubic feet per year.
Azerbaijan is emerging as a regional gas giant, with several countries lobbying for access to its rich natural resources. Europe in particular has eyed Azeri gas for its lauded Nabucco pipeline, which could ease the Russian grip on the regional energy sector.
The Trend report notes Baku plans to start gas exports to Russia by 2010.
