Iran hosts natural gas meeting

Iran hosts natural gas meeting

TEHRAN (AFP): Ministers from 11 nations are meeting Saturday
in Iran, which holds the second largest natural gas reserves in
the world, to discuss ways of coordinating gas export policies.

Industry sources said the current president of the OPEC oil
cartel, Algerian Energy Minister Shakib Khelil, would be among
those present for the two-day meeting.

"We are going to exchange our data on the market, especially
natural gas needs as well as the ways of investing in this
sector," an Iranian oil ministry official told AFP.

Russia, Iran and Qatar -- respectively the top three holders
of natural gas reserves -- will be joined by Khelil as well as
officials from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Oman
and Turkmenistan.

Natural gas consumption has risen sharply over the past two
years, in conjunction with a steep rise in crude oil prices.