Istanbul (Platts)--28Jan2008

Iran has restarted gas exports to Turkey three weeks after it halted
supply but at a sharply reduced rate, the Turkish Anatolya news agency
reported late Sunday.
It quoted Turkish energy minister Hilmi Guler as stating that Iran
resumed gas exports at around 1pm GMT at a rate of between 1.5 million and 2
million cu m/d.
Iran had been supplying Turkey with around 29 million cu m/day via a
pipeline completed in 2001 under an agreement signed in 1996 which would see
Turkey taking a maximum of 10 million cu m/year.
However Iran, faced with a shortage of gas after the interruption of
Turkmen gas exports, in late December reduced gas exports to Turkey to around
5 million cu m/d.
Tehran January 7 stopped exporting gas to Turkey altogether and failed to
restart exports two weeks ago despite having given assurances to Turkish prime
minister Recep Tayip Erdogan.
Last week an energy ministry spokesman indicated to Platts that in
addition to increased volumes arriving from its other suppliers augmented by
spot LNG cargoes, Turkey had also been obliged to switch some of its state-
owned gas fired power plant to alternative fuels in order to maintain supply
to other customers.
Iran, which has experienced one of the coldest winters on record, has
said that it may be forced to cut Turkey's supply again as a second wave of
freezing weather sweeps into the country.
The Iranian oil ministry news agency Shana Sunday quoted an Iranian gas
official as saying that the volume of exports to Turkey would depend on
pressure in its gas pipelines.