Roundup: Ministerial meeting of GECF kicks off in Tehran

A ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) opened in the Iranian capital Tehran on Saturday to approve a final declaration of the third GECF summit scheduled for Monday.

The final declaration will give special attention to the joint investment and mutual cooperation among the GECF member states, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said in his opening remarks.

Environmental issues like the natural gas emissions will figure high on the agenda of the summit.

"That will convey the GECF's message to the upcoming 2015 COP21, also known as the 2015 Paris Climate Conference," Zangeneh said.

The Iranian minister added that Saturday's meeting further seeks to prepare the ground for more exchange of views, broader cooperation and synergy among the existing members of the forum.

It also seeks to encourage more governments to join the GECF, he added.

Moreover, the forum's secretary general, Mohmmad-Hossein Adeli, told the ministerial meeting that "The timing of our summit comes after the conclusion of the G-20 summit in (Turkey's) Antalya and right before the 2015 COP21 in Paris, all emphasizing on sustainable development, a path that could not be followed and secured without gas as the fuel of choice," according to Iran's Petro-Energy Information Network (SHANA).

"This is the gathering of world leaders of gas exporting countries and I am confident that deliberations and the outcome of the meeting would be of paramount importance for the gas markets," Adeli was quoted as saying.

GECF is a gathering of the world's leading gas producers and was set up as international governmental organization with the objective to increase the level of coordination and strengthen the collaboration among the member countries.

Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela are the member countries of the forum.

Iraq, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman and Peru have the status of observer members.

On Saturday, Zangeneh also told reporters that Iran's priority is the completion of its natural gas production plants and exporting infrastructure.

"Iran is currently considering the completion of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants" which will elevate the country's capacity of gas exports, he said.

Asked about Iran's plan to export gas to Europe, he said that "Iran's gas exports to European countries need time. It needs discussions and talks with Turkey and other countries to use gas pipes for its gas exports to Europe."

Iran, one of the world's top gas reserve holders, sits on more than 33 trillion cubic meters of natural gas. It is considering to build a large pipeline network that would connect its huge South Pars gas field with European customers.

As for Iran's oil exports after the removal of western sanctions against the country's energy sector, Zangeneh said on the sidelines of the meeting that Iran does not need any permission from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) or any other organization to restore its oil exports to the pre-sanctions level.

"Increasing crude exports (in the international market) is Iran's inalienable right and we do not need the permission of anybody or any organization in this regard," Zangeneh said.

He said earlier that Iran would increase its oil exports by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) immediately after the Western sanctions against its energy sector are lifted in early 2016.

Before 2012, when western sanctions were intensified on Iran, the country's crude exports stood at 3.7 million bpd. Iran's oil production has fallen to 2.7 million bpd since then.

Iran and major world powers reached an agreement on the former's disputed nuclear program on July 14, under which Iran would curb its nuclear program to a significant degree in return for sanction relief on its energy and financial sectors. Endit