TEHRAN (PIN) – Deputy oil minister for gas affairs Sunday voiced Iran’s preparedness to transfer the country’s gas to the neighboring state of Iraq via Ilam Province.

Seyyed Reza Kassaeizadeh told PIN that if Iraqi officials demanded, Iran had now the capacity to pump its gas to Iraq through the 30-inch Eslamabad-Ilam transmission line.
“Gas could be transferred to border towns of Iraq by a 12-inch offshoot from the 30-inch Eslamabad-Ilam transmission line, if necessary, that extends it to Iranian towns of Mehran and Dehloran on border,” explained the official.
Kassaeizadeh, also the managing director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), however added the country had not yet a demand on transfer of gas to Iraq.
The 30-inch 89.8km-long Eslamabad-Ilam transmission line became operational Saturday.
The flare of Ilam Gas Refinery was lit in the presence of deputy oil minister for gas affairs, Ilam governor general, Ilam Friday prayers leader, and a number of local managers and officials Saturday.
The refinery produces 370 thousand cubic meters of ethane, over 1,300 cubic meters of propane, 1,200 cubic meters of gasoline, and 340 tons of sulfur in the first phase per day while its output in the second phase will be half of the first phase’s production. Ilam Gas Refinery is situated 25km northwest of Ilam, 12km off Chevar region