Iraq reaches preliminary agreement with Turkmenistan to import gas

Iraqi Undersecretary of Oil Izzat Saber announced on Thursday a preliminary agreement with Turkmenistan to import quantities of gas to meet part of the needs of power plants according to a memorandum of cooperation hoped to be signed before the end of this year.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil said in a press release today that Iraq was working to “strengthen the prospects for cooperation with friendly countries in the field of gas, including Turkmenistan, and that a high-level government delegation had held meetings with officials in the gas sector in the Republic of Turkmenistan.”

He explained that the meetings resulted in “agreement in principle to import quantities of gas to meet part of the needs of power plants according to a memorandum of cooperation being prepared for this purpose and it is hoped that it will be signed before the end of this year including the proposed quantities and mechanisms being adopted between the two countries”.

Saber stressed the importance of this agreement, which represents a step forward in expanding cooperation with gas-producing countries, including Turkmenistan, one of the region’s most important gas-producing countries and the world.

Iraq has been restricting gas imports for years to the Iranian side to meet the country’s need to operate Iraq’s electrical plants.

Iraq is stopping the import of gas from abroad by 2027 after the completion of the associated gas investment projects from the oil fields following the signing of contracts from Total Energy of France and Saudi and Qatari Chinese companies.