Iranian government has asked Gail to consider association of Gazprom for laying 1500-km long pipeline as the Russian company was already providing technical know-how to national Iranian gas company for laying a 2100 meters deepwater gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey, company sources said.

Gail has already started negotiations with Gazprom for knowing the feasibility of laying a deepwater pipeline project from Iran to India as an alternative to an offshore pipeline to avoid entry into Pakistan, the sources said.

They, however, said the earlier plan of an offshore pipeline from Iran to India has not been shelved as the Iranian government was still negotiating with Pakistan on the security aspects of laying such a pipeline as it would pass through their territory.

The Iranian government has already taken some initiative with regard to the deepwater pipeline and is also taking up certain studies to work out the feasibility of such a mega project.

The pipeline would take about five to seven years to be compeleted once all the necessary clearances are received, the sources said, adding that the capacity of the gas pipeline would be two billion cubic feet per day.

Sources said that though the equity participation of Gazprom in the pipeline project was yet to be decided Gail was open to entry of other multinational companies for the project.

A high-level team from Gail had recently visited Tehran for discussions on the deepwater pipeline feasibility as well as assoiaciation with liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, the sources said.

National Iranian oil company had also asked Gail for its participation in Iranian LNG project and a team from the marketing gas PSU is likely to visit Iran soon, they said.