Iraqi Energy Minister Ziyad Ali Fadel told reporters about the formation of a joint committee to discuss issues of supplies of Turkmen and Qatari natural gas, the Iraqi news agency Iraqi News reports.

 Reportedly, the committee included officials from the Ministry of Oil, advisers to the Ministry of Electricity, and other specialists.

 It is assumed that one group of the committee will go to Turkmenistan for negotiations to discuss contracts for the purchase of blue fuel, the second will visit Qatar, where the possibility of importing liquefied gas by sea will be considered.

 For the first time, the possibility of importing Turkmen gas was voiced by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, who drew attention to the shortage of fuel that this country periodically faces.  In this regard, an Iraqi delegation plans to visit Turkmenistan to start the first rounds of negotiations on a possible deal.

 Iraq’s interest in supplies can be explained by the demand for this type of fuel from power plants in the central and southern regions of the country, which generate about 7,000 megawatts per day.