Gazprom's exporting arm, Gazprom Export, said the Turkish company Botas has requested to increase gas supply via the underwater Blue Stream pipeline to 48 million cubic metres a day.

"Gazprom export approved the request," it said in an e-mailed statement.

The gas flow on a pipeline carrying Iranian natural gas to Turkey was halted due to an explosion in eastern Turkey late on Thursday which also wounded soldiers in a passing military vehicle.

Turkey is Gazprom's second-largest natural gas consumer after Germany.