Iran and Russia inked a roadmap for cooperation in the energy sector at the 21st St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2017) as Russian companies expressed interest in developing Iran’s hydrocarbon reservoirs.
The roadmap was signed by Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Amirhossein Zamaninia and Russia’s Deputy Minister of Energy Kirill Molodtsov in a meeting of Iran-Russia Joint Energy Commission on Saturday on the sidelines of the SPIEF 2017, Sputnik reported. Zamaninia said that the 6-7 largest Russian oil and gas companies have expressed their interest in developing nine Iranian oil and gas fields. The roadmap came as the result of talks behind closed doors between Iranian and Russian oil and gas companies, which presented their proposals for the exploration and development of Iranian fields.
“It was my first time participating in SPIEF. I used this unique opportunity to talk with the leading representatives of the oil and gas sector and economic structures: I had meetings with several directors of oil companies, and with the energy ministers of a number of countries. I participated in several plenary sessions with very interesting discussions on the prospects for the oil and gas sector,” Zamaninia told Sputnik.
“They have already conducted preliminary studies and have evaluated all the necessary work. Some already have so-called master development plans. Iran will now review and study these plans,” he added. The official noted that there is a very high potential for cooperation between Russian and Iranian oil and gas companies. He also expressed hope that the practical phase of cooperation will be launched in the near future.
Iran is currently in active negotiations with Russia’s gas giant Gazprom on a number of large-scale projects.
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