Earthtimes.org
Jan 29 2007
Armenia deals with Iran, Russia on energy
YEREVAN, Armenia, Jan. 29 An Iran-to-Armenia natural-gas pipeline
will come online later this year while Gazprom is considering
building an oil refinery near the Iranian border.
Armenian presidential spokesman Viktor Sogomonyan said the 90-mile
pipeline this spring will start to deliver the first of 36 billion
cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia over a 20-year span. The two
sides can extend the contract to 47 billion cubic meters over five
more years, RIA Novosti reported.
The pipeline cost between $210 million and $220 million.
Armenia will use the gas to power electricity plants to meet domestic
demand, as well as export it back to Iran.
Also Monday Sogomonyan said Russian gas giant Gazprom is looking at
building an oil refinery in Armenia near Iran.
I can confirm that Russia’s Gazprom is considering the possibility of
building an oil refinery in Armenia, he said, though negotiations are
not far along. The topic was brought up during meetings between the
Armenian and Russian presidents last week. Russian President Vladimir
Putin said Russian cell-phone company VimpelCom, aluminum company
RUSAL and Gazprom will increase investments in Armenia to $1.5
billion — double what the trio is currently investing. UPI