TEHRAN (Tehran Times)–Iran’s gas exports to Armenia was temporarily interrupted Wednesday due to an explosion that rocked the Armenian section of the conveyance pipeline.
Armenian officials informed their counterparts in Tehran Wednesday morning that an explosion has occurred at some segment of the Iran-Armenia pipeline, which lies inside Armenian border, according to SHANA news agency.
According to Iranian officials, gas will resume flowing through the pipeline as soon as Armenia repairs the damaged segments.
Iran began exporting natural gas to Armenia in May. According to a deal signed in May 2004, Armenia will pay for the gas with electricity it produces at itsSoviet-era nuclear power plant at Metzamor.
Based on the agreement, Iran is supposed to transfer three million cubic meters of gas per day to Armenia by the end of 2010, and from the beginning of 2011 raise this volume up to four million cubic meters per day.
The volume of gas exports could gradually rise to 6.3 million cubic meters per day.
In exchange, Armenia will transfer three kilowatt/hours of electricity for each cubic meter of the Iranian gas.
The Iran-Armenia pipeline has a diameter of 30 inches and runs for 113 kilometers from Tabriz to the Iran-Armenia border.
Can Asbarez or anyone comment on the diameter of the constructed pipeline with more further details, the Armenian people would be highly interested to know if the current diameter of the pipeline was imposed during construction in an attempt to limit gas imports to Armenia.
As it stands, it seems Armenia could in fact import larger quantities for storage or resale, however, that would be only possible with larger diameter pipes to allow greater flux of gas to Armenia. As such, were limitations put on this Armenia/Iran energy exchange by “other powers” cough* Russia cough* ? This is a vital question that has never been address, is Armenia truly free to import/export as it pleases? Any and all responses appreciated.
I don’t believe you can store natural gas in huge pressurized tanks. It would be very difficult to engineer such tanks, it would be cost prohibitive, plus they would become a major safety hazard. However you can store LNG (liquefied natural gas), which offers a ratio of 1/600, i.e. 1 cubic foot of LNG would produce 600 cubic feet of gas at atmospheric pressure. But LNG can only be produced by the supplier and is only carried by boats; hence it cannot be applied to Armenia. LNG can be stored at shipping or receiving points in huge insulated, steel lined, refrigerated concrete tanks. Then it is “re-gasified” and transported as gas thru pipelines. Gas pipeline sizes of 28” to 36”, are within the norm. In Armenia’s case 30” would allow flow increases to a certain degree by increasing the pressure at boosting stations, up to the pipeline maximum working pressure. In my opinion the Armenian size could be cost driven rather than other reasons, but I let others address that issue.