Russia, Iran Reach Preliminary Deal On New Nuclear Reactors

- Iran and representatives from Russia's state nuclear power company, Rosatom, have reached preliminary agreement on the construction of at least two more nuclear reactors. The two reactors would be built at Bushehr, where Iran's sole nuclear power plant, also built by Rosatom, is located. - 3/12/14

Rising gasoline imports let Iran stop production of dirty fuel

- The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company reports that Iran has tripled its gasoline imports. In the past three years, eight to 10 million litres of gasoline have been produced on a daily basis by petrochemical complexes in Iran, and according to experts, that has been extremely detrimental to air quality. - 3/6/14

Iran to pump gas to Baghdad by mid 2014

- Tehran and Baghdad have reached an agreement under which Iran will pump natural gas to its western neighbor in the coming months. Based on the agreement, 25 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas will be delivered to Sadr, Baghdad and al-Mansouryah power plants through a pipeline. - 3/5/14

Iran Says Pakistan Obliged To Finish Pipeline

- A report by the French AFP news agency on February 26 quotes Iran's Oil Ministry as calling on Islamabad to honor its contractual commitments and complete a pipeline for Iranian gas exports to Pakistan. - 2/27/14

Iran moves to stop use of dirty, substandard gasoline

- Iran's Oil Minister announced on Tuesday February 25 that the gasoline produced in petrochemical facilities is not up to standard and carries contaminants and will no longer be distributed in Tehran. - 2/26/14

Iran to attract $100bn under new oil contracts: Official

- Iran is predicted to attract USD 100 billion in investment in its energy sector over the next four years after its new model of oil contracts takes effect, a top official says. Mehdi Hosseini, who advises Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh on oil contracts, made the announcement on Wednesday; three days after Iran unveiled the draft for its new oil contract terms. - 2/26/14

Iranian Oil Minister reveals extent of financial frauds

- Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh has written on his Facebook page that his ministry has been dealing with financials frauds totaling more than four trillion rials. Babak Zanjani, an Iranian tycoon and Basij member, was arrested in November in relation to a debt to the ministry of $8.2 billion dollars. - 2/20/14

Iran, Turkey start talks on gas pipeline project

- Turkish daily Today's Zaman reported that the country has started talks with Iran to establish a pipeline to transfer natural gas from Iran to Europe through Turkish soil. The pipeline will stretch about 5000 kilometers. It starts from Iran and then reaches to central Turkey and Greece. - 2/14/14

Iran Plans to Offer Better Oil Exploration Terms Than Iraq

- Iran will offer international companies better oil contracts than OPEC-rival Iraq as the Islamic republic seeks long-term investment to revive its energy industry, a government adviser said. -Bloomberg - 2/14/14

Mideast Wary Over Iraq-Iran Plan to Unite in Oil Market

- Iraq is planning to triple its oil-producing capacity by 2020, hoping to leverage its natural resources in a power arrangement with Iran that could challenge Saudi Arabia's domination of the world oil market. -Jeff Seldin, VOA - 2/6/14

Iraq says Syria War Spillover Hinders Oilfields, Pipelines

- Spillover attacks from the civil war in Syria have hindered development of Iraq's gas and oil reserves and a major pipeline to the Mediterranean has been blown up dozens of times, Iraq's top energy official said on Tuesday. -Reuters - 1/29/14

Iran's oil sales rise as sanctions pressure eases - sources

- Iran's oil exports have picked up modestly in January for the third consecutive month, according to sources who track tanker movements, adding to signs that the easing of sanctions pressure on Tehran is helping its oil exports to recover. -Reuters - 1/22/14

Iran sees a 'big jump' in gas exports in 2015

- Iran will "witness a change in the revenues of the country from crude oil to natural gas," Owji said. He pointed to the country's goal to triple gas shipments to some of its neighbors, saying, "By signing new deals with Turkey and Iraq, Iran will increase natural gas exports to about 100 million cubic meters by next year from a current 35 million." - 1/20/14

Reported Russia-Iran Oil Talks Concern U.S.

- White House spokesman Jay Carney says the United States has raised concerns with Russia about reports that Moscow and Tehran are negotiating a barter agreement for Iranian oil. - 1/15/14

Iran's Oil Plans in 2014

- Iran's oil sector is like an ageing wrestler who could still surprise opponents with a show of strength. With this essential industry currently flat on its back, President Hassan Rouhani's team has to find a way to get their champion back on its feet. Meanwhile, international oil companies are looking on from the sidelines, and whispering some encouragement. -Robin Mills, LobeLog - 1/14/14

Iran's return to oil markets will not lower prices: Oil Minister

- The return of Iran to oil markets will not lead to a decrease in prices, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on Monday. In a message to members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Zanganeh also said that unconventional oil production from shale reserves by non-OPEC countries will not be a threat to OPEC. - 1/7/14

Iraq's Kurds Begin Oil Exports To Turkey

- Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz says that crude oil from Iraqi Kurdistan has started flowing through a new pipeline that leads to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. - 1/3/14

Tehran governor-general urges import of Euro 4 petrol

- Tehran Governor- General Hossein Hashemi on Wednesday called for import of petrol to meet Euro 4 standard until self-sufficiency in production of high quality gasoline. Hashemi said low quality of the gasoline being consumed in Iran is the prime reason of air pollution in Iranian metropolitans. - 1/2/14

Iran building new generation of centrifuges: Salehi

- Iran is building a new generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran director announced in Isfahan on Thursday. "The new generation of centrifuges is being built. But all tests should be carried on it before mass production," Ali Akbar Salehi said, without elaborating. - 12/28/13

U.S. oil giants keep from lobbying over Iran

- Reuters reports that big U.S. oil companies are refraining from lobbying for expanding relations with Iran. According to Reuters, oil companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. stand to gain huge profits from gaining access to Iranian oil through the easing of U.S. sanctions, as Iran has some of the world's largest and most cost-effective oil resources. - 12/24/13

Iranian pipeline workers killed in Iraq

- Eighteen Iranian and three Iraqi pipeline workers were killed in an armed attack by unidentified gunmen in Iraq. In recent months, violence in Iraq has escalated to levels not seen since 2008, and according to official reports, at least 7,150 civilians were killed in Iraq in 2013. - 12/15/13

Moscow, Tehran To Continue Nuclear Energy Cooperation

- Russia's foreign minister says Moscow wants to continue to help Iran develop its nuclear-energy industry. Sergei Lavrov said after talks in Tehran with his counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, that "we see such interest on the Iranian side, and we know about Iran's plans to build more power units identical to Bushehr." - 12/13/13

Iran a Decade or More From Becoming a Major Gas Exporter

- The world's largest gas reserves may tempt some energy companies back to Iran if sanctions are lifted, but Tehran is unlikely to become a significant gas supplier to Europe or Asia for at least a decade. -Reuters - 12/11/13

Iran Names 7 Western Oil Companies It Wants to Return

- Iran on Wednesday named seven Western oil companies it wants back in its vast oil and gas fields once international sanctions are lifted and said it would offer contract terms in April next year. -Reuters - 12/5/13

Iran, Iraq Warn OPEC of Big Oil Increases

- Iran and Iraq on Tuesday put OPEC on notice of substantial oil output increases to come, saying others in the producer cartel will need to give way to make room for them. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Iran will take six months after sanctions are lifted to return to full oil output capacity of 4 million bpd. -Reuters - 12/4/13

Persian Gulf Oil Exporters' Rivalry Grows in Battle for Asian Buyers

- Middle Eastern oil exporters are locked in an increasingly fierce battle for the world's fastest-growing markets in Asia, as producers worldwide ship more crude east to compensate for shrinking demand from the United States and Europe. -Reuters - 12/3/13

Iran Nuclear Chief: Country Needs More Nuke Power Plants

- Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted Ali Akbar Salehi on December 1 as saying Iran should build "power plants for 20,000 megawatts of electricity." Salehi said it would help the country reduce its carbon emissions and its consumption of oil. - 12/2/13

Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant unharmed by quake

- The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that the recent earthquake in Bushehr did not harm the Bushehr Nuclear Plant. On Thursday, an earthquake measured at 5.7 on the richter scale shook Berazjan in Bushehr Province, leaving eight dead and dozens injured. - 11/30/13

Iraq Warns Turkey Over Kurdistan Oil Ties

- ISTANBUL - Iraq is warning Turkey not to follow through on an oil deal with the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which is expected to start exporting oil to Turkey as early as next month. -Dorian Jones, VOA - 11/29/13

India Considers More Oil Imports From Iran

- NEW DELHI - India hopes to increase crude oil imports from Iran after a deal with six Western countries gave Tehran limited respite from sanctions. The deal comes as a relief to India which maintains friendly relations with Iran and wants to boost trade and other links with Tehran. -Anjana Pasricha, VOA - 11/28/13

Total ready to resume business with Iran: CEO

- Total SA, Europe's biggest oil refiner, will resume business with Iran if diplomatic talks lead to the removal of sanctions, Chief Executive Officer Christophe de Margerie said at a conference in Abu Dhabi. - 11/15/13

Chinese firms in talks with Iran companies to buy LPG

- Three Chinese companies are in talks with three producers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Iran on term supply contracts for next year. China resumed its LPG imports from Iran in June after a one-year break. Over the past years, China has been a regular importer of Iranian LPG. - 11/8/13

Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan Clinch Major Energy Pipeline Deals

- Iraqi Kurdistan has finalized a comprehensive package of deals with Turkey to build multi-billion dollar oil and gas pipelines to ship the autonomous region's rich hydrocarbon reserves to world markets, sources involved in talks said on Wednesday. -Reuters - 11/7/13

Iran, Armenia agree to expand cooperation in energy sector

- Iran and Armenia have reached new agreements to expand cooperation in the energy sector. Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian and his Armenian counterpart Armen Movsisian met in Tehran on Tuesday. The two sides agreed to construct a new power transmission line in order to boost the exchange of electricity between the two countries. - 11/6/13

Iran elected gas exporting countries chief

- On Sunday, Iran was elected as the new secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). The decision was made at the 15th ministerial meeting of the GECF in Tehran on Sunday. - 11/4/13

Iran 'Likely' To Abandon Pakistan Gas Project

- The Iranian oil minister says Tehran will probably abandon a multibillion-dollar contract to supply natural gas to Pakistan. Bijan Zanganeh said on October 30 that the contract "is likely to be annulled." - 10/31/13

Rising US Oil Production May Cut Saudi Influence In Washington

- Economists say the United States is in the process of passing Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world's largest oil producer. This means less dependence on oil imports, stronger economic growth, and more latitude in dealing with political problems with Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East. -Jim Randle, VOA - 10/28/13

Iran oil revenues to hit $54.5bn once sanctions lifted: Oil Minister

- Iran Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh says the country will earn USD 54.5 billion in oil revenues annually once the US-led sanctions targeting Iran's energy sector have been lifted. "We must try to have the [anti-Iran] sanctions lifted in order to speed up the process of the country's development," Zanganeh said on Sunday. - 10/28/13

From Caspian Sea to Arctic to Middle East, How Oil Pipelines Threaten Democracy & Planet's Survival

- Today we spend the hour looking at politics, money and the pursuit of oil, focusing on what's known as the Oil Road, a series of pipelines stretching from the oil-rich Caspian Sea to Europe. Key nations along the route include Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The oil giant BP operates the main pipeline. -Democracy Now - 10/27/13

Iran Sends Out Feelers for Return to Oil Markets

- Iran is reaching out to its old oil buyers and is ready to cut prices if Western sanctions against it are eased, promising a battle for market share in a world less hungry for oil than when sanctions were imposed. -Reuters - 10/23/13

Iran Floats Prospect Of Opening Energy Industry To West

- In anticipation of a thaw, Iran is preparing to capitalize on improved relations with the West. And to win skeptics over to the idea that crippling economic sanctions targeting Iran should be dropped, Tehran is floating a huge incentive -- the prospect of giving Western investors access to the country's vast oil and gas reserves. -Frud Bezhan, RFE - 10/16/13

Impact of US Future Energy Diplomacy on Iran's Position and Interests in Energy Market

- Taking good advantage of energy diplomacy will not only boost a country's capacities at regional and international levels, but also pave the way for the reduction of international restrictions against that country, thus, helping to greatly increase its national power potentials. - 10/11/13

OPEC Production Falls in September

- OPEC's crude oil production fell below 30-million barrels a day in September. That's the first time that's happened in more than two years. There are two main reasons for the drop in OPEC production. John Kingston of Platts says one is a temporary problem, while the other is ongoing and may be more troublesome. -Joe DeCapua, VOA - 10/11/13

Iran to launch 3 new wind farms to boost renewable energy output

- Iran will established three new wind farms, each with a power generation capacity of 350 megawatts (MW), the managing director of Iran Power Generation Transmission and Distribution Management Company (TAVANIR) said on Wednesday. - 10/10/13

Iran Navy rescues tanker from Gulf of Aden pirates

- "An Iranian oil tanker which had been attacked by pirates was rescued by the Navy's 27th Fleet in the Gulf of Aden," said Iran Navy Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Siavash Jarreh on Sunday. According to Jarreh, the oil tanker was twice attacked by pirates late on Saturday and Sunday morning - 10/7/13

Tapping Iran's oil and gas vital for world demand, say Shell and Total

- Lifting sanctions and opening up Iran's vast oil and gas resources to global companies will be vital to meeting the world's future energy needs, according to the chief executives of two of Europe's top oil companies. -Andrew Critchlow, Telegraph - 10/3/13

Iran To Take Over Temporary Control Of Unit 1 of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant On Monday

- The first unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant will be temporarily handed over to Iranian experts on Monday, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Ali Akbar Salehi announced on Sunday. "During the temporary handover, the Bushehr nuclear power plant must operate for two years or 7,000 hours under the Russian side's warranty," Salehi told IRNA. - 9/22/13

Russian firm ready to develop Iranian gas field

- Zarubezhneftegaz Company of Russia has announced readiness to develop a newly discovered gas field in Iran. The Russian company had signed an MOU with Iran in 2010, the Pana News Agency reported. The gas field is located near the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf. - 9/20/13

UK asks US, EU to exclude BP from anti-Iranian oil embargo

- Britain has called on the US and the European Union to partially ease the anti-Iranian embargo imposed on a joint UK-Iran natural gas field in the North Sea. UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) consulted the US and EU officials over releasing sanctions on Iran's state oil company, the Wall Street Journal said in a report. - 9/18/13

Gas Bills go up in Iran

- Iran has increased gas bills by 100 rials (about 5 cents) per each cubic meter consumption in a bid to raise funds for implementing gas supply projects across the country. Recently, Iran's energy ministry increased the electricity bills of subscribers from 430 rials (about 0.02 cents) per kilowatt hours to 433 rials. - 9/18/13

U.S. rewards countries for cutting Iranian oil imports

- Japan and 10 EU countries will be exempt from U.S. sanctions on the import of Iranian crude for another six months. The U.S. granted the extension because those countries are now buying much less Iranian oil. - 9/7/13

Iran Oil Minister orders more attractive oil contracts

- Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has ordered a review of buy-back oil contracts in a bid to make them more attractive for potential foreign investors, a senior oil official says. - 9/2/13

Iran to export $60B of gas to Oman in 25 years

- Iran and Oman have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) according to which Oman will buy around $60 billion worth of natural gas from Iran during 25 years. The two sides have come to terms to build a pipeline for the export of Iranian gas to the Persian Gulf Arab state within two years. - 8/28/13

Iran's Petropars to implement Phase 11 of South Pars development plan as foreign firms pull out

- Iran's Petropars Company will implement Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field development project as France's Total, Malaysia's Petronas, and China's CNPC have pulled out of the project, IRNA reported. Phase 11 is projected to yield 2 billion cubic feet of sour gas and 80,000 barrels of as condensates per day. - 8/25/13

Iran plans a strong return to oil markets: Oil Minister

- Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh says the country will soon increase its oil exports in defiance of restrictions imposed on the Islamic Republic's energy sector. "Production capacity and output are the primary factors that elevate the status of countries in international markets, [thus] Iran's oil production capacity must return to the 2005 level in six to seven months," Zanganeh said on Friday. - 8/23/13

Iran seeks quick launch of five South Pars gas field phases: Oil Minister

- "We have special focus on commissioning phases 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of South Pars, and we will utilize all available equipment and capacities to bring these phases on stream as soon as possible," Zanganeh stated during a visit to Phase 12 of South Pars gas field in Assalouyeh -- located some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) south of Tehran -- on Thursday. - 8/23/13

Iran can pump gas to Ukraine, Moldavia, says envoy

- Iran is ready to export gas to Ukraine and Moldavia, said Iranian ambassador to the two European countries Akbar Qasemi Aliabadi. "Iran is in possession of massive gas reserves and is ready to transfer natural gas to the two European countries," he said, adding Iran is providing a great deal of natural gas for Russia. - 8/17/13

India and China Ignore US Sanctions Against Iran

- The US House of Representatives approved a bill at the beginning of this month aimed at completely closing off Iranian petroleum exports. Not since President Roosevelt told Japan in July 1941 that he was going to cut it off from American petroleum has the United States threatened to use oil to strangle a country so completely. -Juan Cole, OilPrice.com - 8/17/13

Turkey Plays Big in Kurdistan's Energy Game

- Turkey has quietly built up a large presence in Kurdistan's oil and gas industry, teaming up with U.S. major Exxon Mobil, as Ankara bets on Iraq's semi-autonomous republic to help wean it off costly Russian and Iranian energy imports. -Reuters - 8/16/13

Iran's Oil Minister Nominee: Oil Minister Is "Second Foreign Minister"

- Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, the nominee for the post of oil minister, says now that Iran's oil industry has been sanctioned by the West the oil minister plays the role of "the second foreign minister". "In the current situation, after the foreign minister, the oil minister, through active energy diplomacy, plays the role of the second foreign minister," Zanganeh told a meeting of private sector activists at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce. - 8/15/13

Biggest South Pars phase to start yielding gas in late September: Iranian official

- The South Pars gas field, divided into 28 phases, is located in the Persian Gulf on the common border between Iran and Qatar. It is estimated that the field contains 14 trillion cubic meters of gas and 18 billion barrels of condensate. - 8/12/13

Rosatom Ready To Hand Bushehr Nuclear Plant To Iran

- The head of Russian nuclear regulator Rosatom has said that state company will soon sign documents transferring operational control of the Bushehr nuclear power plant to Iran. "Bushehr is currently operating at 100-percent capacity and the process of preparing it for transfer to the project originator is concluding," Rosatom's Sergei Kiriyenko said. - 8/10/13

India Mulls Insurance Guarantee for Refiners Using Iran Oil

- India is thinking of providing a 20 billion rupee ($327 million) state guarantee to back local insurance for refineries that use Iranian oil and therefore cannot get foreign cover due to Western sanctions, an industry source said. -Reuters - 8/9/13

Iran to increase oil export with new supertankers

- The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) has taken delivery of four new supertankers in recent weeks in the face of US-led sanctions against its energy sector. Recent data from the IHS Maritime show that four supertankers, each with a maximum carrying capacity of 2 million barrels, joined NITC's fleet between May and the end of July, Reuters reported Wednesday. - 8/8/13

Pakistan to pursue to Iran gas project despite U.S. pressure

- Pakistan says it will go ahead with the planned gas pipeline project with Iran at all costs and won't drop the project under U.S. pressure. Pakistani officials have submitted a non-paper to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to highlight the importance of the multi-billion-dollar plan for their country. - 8/4/13

Rohani Appoints Oil Minister, Pending Approval by Parliament

- Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has been chosen as oil minister in the Rohani cabinet that will take over the administration this month. ISNA reports that Bijan Namdar was the final choice of the president-elect and he will take over the oil ministry if Parliament endorses him with a vote of confidence. - 8/3/13

Middle East, Sudan Turmoil Cuts Into World Oil Supply

- Oil outages in Iraq, South Sudan, Libya and Iran are combining to help keep oil prices well above $100 a barrel, partly countering the rise in U.S. shale oil supply and concern about the strength of Chinese demand. -Reuters - 7/31/13

Iran builds 4.6bcm natural gas storage facility

- Iran has built a new natural gas storage facility with a capacity to store 4.6 billion cubic meters of gas, the National Iranian Gas Company managing director stated. - 7/28/13

NIOC and the State: Commercialization, Contestation and Consolidation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

- While Iran's oil industry has long been a subject of great interest for academics, industry analysts and the news media surprisingly little attention has been paid to the institutional apparatus of the Iranian hydrocarbon sector and its embeddedness in networks of political power. -William Yong, Oxford Energy - 7/28/13

Iran to launch largest floating oil storage terminal in Persian Gulf: Official

- The Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) says it will launch the Persian Gulf's largest floating oil storage terminal in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr in a few months. - 7/26/13

Washington concerned about Iran-Iraq gas deal

- Washington is concerned about a $14.8 billion gas deal, which was signed by Iran and Iraq on Sunday, according to which Iran will supply Iraq with natural gas for four years. The deal offers Tehran a respite from sanctions and Iraq a needed energy source, and has already prompted concerns in Washington. - 7/24/13

Iran signs deal to export gas to Iraq

- Iran and Iraq signed a high profile agreement on Sunday according to which Iran will supply natural gas to Al-Baghdad, Al-Mansouriyah and Sadr power plants in Iraq. The deal was signed by Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi and his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Kareem Luaibi in Baghdad. - 7/22/13

Iran ready to build mini-refineries abroad

- Oil Ministry spokesman says. Alireza Nikzad Rahbar said that Tehran has already signed agreements with Baghdad and Islamabad under which Iran is to build several refineries in Iraq and Pakistan. - 7/19/13

Iran to set up 18 new petrochemical complexes

- Iran will establish 18 new petrochemical complexes, special for downstream industries, IRNA quoted National Iranian Petrochemical Company official Mohammad Ziar as saying. The number of the complexes will be increased to 300 by the next four years, he added. - 7/11/13

Putin's Asian Oil Drive Brings Pain to European Refiners

- European refineries are seeing their bills soar by billions of dollars a year as Russia shifts oil exports to Asia, driving up the values of Urals, one of their preferred crudes. Huge volumes have switched away from saturated European markets. -Reuters - 7/11/13