Russia's gas giant Gazprom continues to supply 48 million cubic meters/day of natural gas to Turkey, following an explosion late Thursday on the Iran-Turkey gas pipeline, the second in as many weeks, that halted supplies from the Islamic Republic.
"For four days in a row, responding to a request by Turkey, Gazprom has been meeting their maximum demand for Russian natural gas coming through the Blue Stream...route," Gazprom official spokesman Sergei Kuprianov said Monday in a statement.
Turkey's state gas importer and transit line operator Botas last week asked Gazprom for a 50% increase in daily shipment to 48 million cu m from 32 million cu m/day due to the explosion, Gazprom said.
A spokesman for Turkey's energy ministry told Platts Friday that the explosion hit the Iran-Turkey gas line between the eastern Turkish cities of Agri and Erzurum, forcing the closure of the link.
Local officials said the explosion was set off by a remote-controlled explosive device.
The spokesman added that currently Botas is assessing the damage after which it will be possible to estimate when the line can be repaired.
Turkey imports 10 Bcm/year of gas from Iran under a 1996 agreement which became active in 2001 following the completion of a transit line between the two countries.
Previous explosions on this and other oil and gas pipelines in eastern Turkey have been blamed on Kurdish separatist group the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.
Recognized as a terrorist group by the US and the EU, the PKK has this year stepped up its activities in eastern Turkey and has been held responsible for a number of explosions on energy infrastructure over the past few months.
It was also blamed for an explosion on the Azerbaijan-Turkey gas line three weeks ago which for a short time left Turkey without gas from either Iran or Azerbaijan, from which Turkey imports 6.6 Bcm/year under an 18- year agreement signed in 2001 and which became active in 2006.
Turkish officials have blamed the increase in PKK activity on the ongoing insurrection in Syria and on the Assad regime having removed the Syrian army from the predominantly Kurdish northeast of Syria, allowing the PKK to launch attacks from there on targets in Turkey.
