dr.umer
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October 05, 2008
TEHRAN: A high-profile natural gas conference sponsored in part by two of Europe's largest energy companies opened Saturday in Tehran evidence, Iran said, that U.S. pressure was ineffective in preventing the country from developing its vast oil and gas resources.
The two-day conference is sponsored by European energy giants Total of France and OMV AG of Austria, as well as Crescent Petroleum of the United Arab Emirates.
Participation of (European) companies and their interest in investing in Iran's oil and gas sector, despite strong U.S. and Israeli pressures, shows that economic interests supersede political considerations,'' Iran's state-run radio said Saturday.
Russia currently supplies a third of European Union oil imports and more than 40 percent of the natural gas EU countries buy from abroad. But Russia's recent conflict with Georgia and the countrys decision to cut off gas to Ukraine in January 2006 over a price dispute have fueled Europe's efforts to diversify its energy sources and supply routes.
Development of new transportation routes is the key prerequisite to enlarge European import capacities for new supply sources,'' said OMV Senior Vice President Michael Peisser, who addressed the conference Saturday.
In the light of little resources of its own, Europe is surrounded by countries and regions with high natural gas potential, especially Iran, who will play an important role in future global gas production,'' he said.
Iran has the world's second largest natural gas reserves and is the second largest oil exporter among the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.
OMV, central Europe's leading oil and gas firm, has been exploring oil fields in southwestern Iran since 2001 and has been pursuing a multibillion dollar oil deal with the country. Swiss energy trading company EGL signed a multibillion contract with Iran in March to buy natural gas over the next 25 years.
The U.S. has tried to persuade European energy firms to avoid doing business with Iran, hoping the pressure will cause Tehran to suspend its nuclear program, which Washington fears is focused on eventually building nuclear bombs.
Now is not the time to be discussing with Iran investments in its oil and gas industry given its status in the international community regarding its behaviors, which are clearly outside the norm and have been judged by the (United Nations) Security Council to be outside acceptable international behavior,'' U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a press briefing Thursday.
TEHRAN: A high-profile natural gas conference sponsored in part by two of Europe's largest energy companies opened Saturday in Tehran evidence, Iran said, that U.S. pressure was ineffective in preventing the country from developing its vast oil and gas resources.
The two-day conference is sponsored by European energy giants Total of France and OMV AG of Austria, as well as Crescent Petroleum of the United Arab Emirates.
Participation of (European) companies and their interest in investing in Iran's oil and gas sector, despite strong U.S. and Israeli pressures, shows that economic interests supersede political considerations,'' Iran's state-run radio said Saturday.
Russia currently supplies a third of European Union oil imports and more than 40 percent of the natural gas EU countries buy from abroad. But Russia's recent conflict with Georgia and the countrys decision to cut off gas to Ukraine in January 2006 over a price dispute have fueled Europe's efforts to diversify its energy sources and supply routes.
Development of new transportation routes is the key prerequisite to enlarge European import capacities for new supply sources,'' said OMV Senior Vice President Michael Peisser, who addressed the conference Saturday.
In the light of little resources of its own, Europe is surrounded by countries and regions with high natural gas potential, especially Iran, who will play an important role in future global gas production,'' he said.
Iran has the world's second largest natural gas reserves and is the second largest oil exporter among the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.
OMV, central Europe's leading oil and gas firm, has been exploring oil fields in southwestern Iran since 2001 and has been pursuing a multibillion dollar oil deal with the country. Swiss energy trading company EGL signed a multibillion contract with Iran in March to buy natural gas over the next 25 years.
The U.S. has tried to persuade European energy firms to avoid doing business with Iran, hoping the pressure will cause Tehran to suspend its nuclear program, which Washington fears is focused on eventually building nuclear bombs.
Now is not the time to be discussing with Iran investments in its oil and gas industry given its status in the international community regarding its behaviors, which are clearly outside the norm and have been judged by the (United Nations) Security Council to be outside acceptable international behavior,'' U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a press briefing Thursday.
