Iran-Turkey gas exports halted after pipeline explosion in Turkey: official

Istanbul — Natural gas exports from Iran to Turkey were halted early Tuesday after an explosion and fire on the pipeline just inside the border of Turkey, an official at Turkey's energy ministry said.

The official said that "all necessary efforts" were underway to manage the situation, but that currently it was unclear when the line would re-open.

According to a report by Turkey's state news agency Anatolia, the explosion occurred near the Gurbulak border gate with Iran in Agri province.

The agency said that the cause of the explosion had not yet been identified.

Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted Mehdi Jamshidi-Dana, director of the National Iranian Gas Co., as saying the explosion hit at 0650 local time.

"The explosion took place close to Iran's border and has stopped gas exports to Turkey," Jamshidi-Dana said.

"Usually, it takes three to four days for repairs and the resumption of gas exports," he said.

Turkey's state gas importer Botas imports up to 9.6 Bcm/year of Iranian gas via the pipeline under a contract which runs to July 2026.

Turkey imported 7.7 Bcm of gas from Iran in 2019, or some 17% of its total gas imports.

The line has previously been subject to occasional sabotage attacks by the Kurdish separatist group the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK).

Most recently the line was closed following a PKK attack in July 2015, while a subsequent attack on the line in April 2018 was foiled by Turkish security forces.