SHANA - The CEO of the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) said Iran and Oman were about to form a joint strategic committee to finalize a long-sought gas pipeline project.

Speaking to Shana, Mehran Amir Moeini said an Iranian delegation was scheduled to visit Oman in order to finalize the framework of cooperation between the two countries.

Since 2004, Iran and Oman have been in talks to carry out a gas pipeline project in which Iran is expected to send its gas through a sea pipeline to the Persian Gulf country to have it converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG) and then receive it to be marketed by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). The elongation of the talks is partly due to the lack of spare capacity in Iran to feed the pipeline until recently. With inauguration of several phases of the supergiant South Pars Gas Field, the country can now inject sufficient gas volumes into the pipeline.

The official, recapping the latest developments in Iran-Oman gas talks, said: "Following finalization of the cooperation framework between the two countries, and its signature by the Iranian and Oman oil ministers, a call will be issued for the selection of the [project's] contractor."

He said talks regarding legal aspects of the project were still ongoing, noting that such prolonged talks for legal matters of projects are natural.

An Omani delegation visited Tehran in April to discuss the gas pipeline.