LOC23:31
20:31 GMT
ANKARA, Aug 13 (KUNA) -- Turkey will increase gas imports from Iran to
compensate reduction in supplies from Azerbaijan resulting from the conflict
in Georgia, a senior source from the Turkish pipeline company Botas on
Wednesday.
British Petroleum (BP) announced on Tuesday that it closed the Georgian
South Caucasus gas pipeline, also known as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Pipeline
or Shakh-Deniz Pipeline, transporting natural gas from the Shah Deniz gas
field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Turkey, because of the
ongoing conflict with Russia.
According to the Turkish pipeline company, Botas, the gas in the pipeline
is enough to flow for at least a week.
The state-owned company said that Turkey currently imports on a daily basis
around 13 million cubic feet of Iranian natural gas and will be increased to
around 20 million during the stoppage period.
Turkey and Iran will hold talks on energy relations during the two-day
visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will be accompanied by a
delegation including Oil Minister, to Turkey on Thursday, the Tehran Times
reported on Wednesday.
The Iranian president will pay a two-day visit to Turkey on Thursday,
during which energy relation talks are expected to top the agenda. (end)
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