Iran's Caspian National Oil Company CEO AliOsuli has announced new exploration operations to be undertaken in the GolestanProvince near the border with Turkmenistan.

“If these explorations lead to considerableresults, the need to import gas from neighbor countries will be obviated,” Osulistated.

He said that the explorations are 90percent sure to lead to finding gas resources, Fars news agency reported April10.

The exploration operations will start inthe present Iranian fiscal year (March 21, 2015 to March 20 2016) and sincethey are not much complicated, the results will come out soon, Osuli asserted.

According to February statistics, Iran isproducing 666 mcm/d of raw gas, imports 7.5 bcm/d of gas from Turkmenistan, andexports 10 bcm/d to Turkey.

A January report said Iran imported 38.5mcm/d of dry gas from Turkmenistan and exported 27 mcm/d to Turkey, registeringa trade balance negative by 11.5 mcm/d. Iran increased gas imports fromTurkmenistan in the fall.

The Iran imported 6.3 billion cubic metersof gas in 2014.