Armenian-Russian company wins tender to build Iran-Armenia gas pipeline

Arminfo
3 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The HayRusgasard [Armenian-Russian gas company] company has won a
tender to construct the Armenian section of the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline from Megri to Kadzharan, Armenian Energy Minister Armen
Movsisyan told a news conference on 3 March.

The minister said that the major contractor, Iran’s Sanir company,
announced the tender at the end of last year. The minister did not
disclose the contract cost. He noted that all the technical
documentation on the construction of this sector of the gas pipeline
has already been completed and field work will start at the end of
March. It is planned to lay pipes and start welding in June. (Iran has
allocated a 30m-dollar loan for the construction of the 41-km-long
Megri-Kadzharan section of the pipeline.)

Movsisyan added that representatives from Russia’s Gazprom are
currently in Yerevan and talks are under way to involve this company
in the construction of the second section of the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline, Kadzharan-Sisyan-Dzhermuk-Ararat. A consortium of foreign
companies is also interested in this project.

The minister noted that the negotiations are about to finish and soon
the government will announce the contractor in the construction of the
second section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

He recalled that in accordance with an agreement between Armenia and
Iran, the construction of the gas pipeline is to be completed by 1
January 2007. At the first stage, Iran is to deliver to Armenia 1.1bn
cu.m. of natural gas annually. But starting from 2019, 2.3bn
cu.m. will be delivered a year. The agreement is valid for 20 years.