Som Petrol

Iran and Turkey first agreed on a pipeline project in 2008 with the aim of carrying Iranian gas to Europe.

The website identified NIGC’s Turkish partner as ASB Co., but Som Petrol said it had signed the deal.

As of April 15, 2020, Som Petrol is included as an entity determined to be non-responsive bidders/offerers pursuant to The New York State Iran Divestment Act of 2012.   (https://ogs.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/04/iran_divestment_act_list_of_entities.pdf)

As of April 15, 2020, Som Petrol is included on the Tennessee list of persons it determines engage in investment activities in Iran, as described in § 12-12-105.  (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/generalservices/documents/cpo/other/list-of-persons-pursuant-to-tenn-code-iran-divestment/List_of_persons_pursuant_to_Tenn._Code_Ann._12-12-106_Iran_Divestment_Act_updated_with NY04.15.20.pdf)

Turkey said in April Iran may export gas to Switzerland via Turkey in exchange for a transit fee. Iranian authorities have said Turkey would need to give its consent for the transit and the deal would then be signed with Switzerland (Reuters, "Iran, Turkish firms in €1b gas link deal," July 24 2010).   (http://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=/data/business/2010/July/business_July446.xml&section=business)

Oji was quoted by the Mehr news agency as also saying that 23 per cent of the project would be handled by the Iranian side and 77 per cent by the Turkish side. One of the world’s biggest oil and gas producers, Iran has been hit by US and UN sanctions that have hindered access to foreign investment and slowed its development as a major exporter.

In January 2021, the State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury listed Som Petrol as a company engaged in prohibited activities in Iran pursuant to P.L. 2012, c. 25 ("Chapter 25").  (https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/pdf/Chapter25List.pdf)

On June 30, 2019, New Jersey listed Som Petrol on its state list of entities determined, based on credible information, to be engaged in prohibited activities in Iran. (https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/pdf/Chapter25List.pdf)

As of July 1, 2020, Som Petrol is listed as an entity “determined, based on credible information available to the public, to be engaged in prohibited activities in Iran pursuant to New Jersey P.L. 2012, c.25 (“Chapter 25”).  (https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/pdf/Cas hapter25List.pdf)

Turkey and Iran have been aiming to expand their cooperation in energy, and Turkey had promised to invest $5.5 billion in developing production of 20-35 billion cubic metres of gas a year from Iran’s South Pars field.

"Iran’s Oil Ministry said the country had signed a €1 billion ($1.3 billion) pipeline deal to take gas to Turkey and a Turkish firm called Som Petrol said it was the partner in the project.

In 2018 and 2019 Tennessee used the New York list of “Entities determined to be non-responsive bidders/offerers pursuant to the New York State Iran Divestment Act of 2012.” Som Petrol was included on this list in 2018 and 2019. Tennessee states "Inclusion on this list would make a person ineligible to contract with the state of Tennessee, if a person ceases its engagement in investment activities in Iran, it may be removed from the list." (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/generalservices/documents/cpo/other/List_of_persons_pursuant_to_Tenn._Code_Ann._12-12-106_Iran_Divestment_Act_updated_with%20NY09.26.18.docx) (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/generalservices/documents/cpo/other/List_of_persons_pursuant_to_Tenn._Code_Ann._12-12-106_Iran_Divestment_Act_updated_with%20NY09.20.19.pdf)

On October 14, 2020, Som Petrol remained on the Tennesse Department of General Services list of persons it determines engage in investment activities in Iran, as described in 12-12-105. (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/generalservices/documents/cpo/cpo-library/List_of_persons_pursuant_to_Tenn._Code_Ann._12-12-106_Iran_Divestment_Act_updated_with%20NY10.14.20.pdf)

“We signed the agreement on the Iran-Turkey pipeline yesterday,” Som Petrol’s Chairman Sitki Ayan told Reuters.

This agreement can be seen as continuation of a project that began in 2008.

“The pipeline will enable Iran to export 50 to 60 million metres of gas per day ... It will be constructed within three years,” Javad Oji, head of the National Iranian Gas Export Co. (NIGC), told the Iranian Oil Ministry’s official website (sic) SHANA.

“The one billion euro deal to build 660km gas pipeline was signed on Thursday during the Iranian Oil Minister’s trip to Turkey,” the Iranian ministry said in a statement on Friday...

Turkey, which is bidding to join the EU, is heavily dependent on energy imports and Iran is its second-biggest supplier of gas after Russia. Iran exported 10 billion cubic metres of gas to Turkey last year.

Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said neither the Turkish government nor state pipeline concern Botas were involved in the deal with Iran, though several private firms had  hown (sic) interest.

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Som Petrol already has operations in Turkmenistan and has been looking to expand business with Iran. A unit of Som Petrol had applied to the energy regulator EPDK for permission to purchase electricity from Iran, according to officials from the regulator.

Ayan said the pipeline would carry 110 million cubic metres of gas per day and is planned to be completed in 2014...