ANKARA -- Turkey will explore natural gas in Iraq together with multinational energy company in the near future, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported Thursday.
Turkey's Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), the Petroleum Pipeline Corporation of Turkey (BOTAS) and Shell Energy Europe signed a preliminary contract to explore, manage, transport and market natural gas in Iraq, said the report.
The agreement enables transportation of natural gas to Turkey and Europe after meeting the domestic demand in Iraq, it said.
The agreement also envisages the companies to carry out infrastructure work including construction of pipelines, underground depots and interconnection lines.
"The cooperation of these three companies would contribute to world energy supply safety as well as regional peace and stability," said Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler during the signature ceremony here.
The minister said TPAO, founded in 1954, is a company that knows well about Iraq's geology, and it has been invited to tenders to explore and manage eight giant oil fields in Iraq.
In addition, he said that TPAO and Shell could also cooperate in exploring and managing oil in Iraq and TPAO is deliberating with the Iraqi government to drill natural gas near Iraqi border with Syria.
Shell Energy Europe is the dynamic, pan-European gas marketing business of Royal Dutch Shell.
Turkey signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding with Iran to improve cooperation in natural gas, and reached a cooperation deal Wednesday with U.S. Exxon Mobil company to explore natural gas and oil in the Black Sea.
Turkey's Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), the Petroleum Pipeline Corporation of Turkey (BOTAS) and Shell Energy Europe signed a preliminary contract to explore, manage, transport and market natural gas in Iraq, said the report.
The agreement enables transportation of natural gas to Turkey and Europe after meeting the domestic demand in Iraq, it said.
The agreement also envisages the companies to carry out infrastructure work including construction of pipelines, underground depots and interconnection lines.
"The cooperation of these three companies would contribute to world energy supply safety as well as regional peace and stability," said Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler during the signature ceremony here.
The minister said TPAO, founded in 1954, is a company that knows well about Iraq's geology, and it has been invited to tenders to explore and manage eight giant oil fields in Iraq.
In addition, he said that TPAO and Shell could also cooperate in exploring and managing oil in Iraq and TPAO is deliberating with the Iraqi government to drill natural gas near Iraqi border with Syria.
Shell Energy Europe is the dynamic, pan-European gas marketing business of Royal Dutch Shell.
Turkey signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding with Iran to improve cooperation in natural gas, and reached a cooperation deal Wednesday with U.S. Exxon Mobil company to explore natural gas and oil in the Black Sea.
