Turkmenistan To Push Ahead with Gas Export Plan
Turkmenistan says it wants to push ahead with an ambitious plan to produce and export gas across Europe.
A senior official announced the Ashgabat government would license extraction from the rich Galkynysh field, and hoped to transport it to markets in Europe and Asia.
The pipeline is the TAPI project - Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. Analysts have shown some scepticism about its practicality, especially with Afghanistan's ongoing war making it such a security risk.
Speaking anonymously, the official told reporters there were firm plans to build two pipelines, one for Pakistan and India, and the crossing the Caspian Sea to the European Union, easing EU dependence on Russian gas.
'Right now, three gas-processing plants are being built, and two of them are certain to be ready in January or February,' he said on the sidelines of an energy conference in the capital, Ashbagat.
"The realization of the TAPI pipeline project will allow an increase in exports of Turkmen gas," President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov was quoted as saying in a formal statement at the Turkmenistan International Oil and Gas Conference.
Turkmenistan's natural gas reserves rank fourth in the world behind those of Russia, Iran and Qatar. British auditor Gaffney, Cline & Associates has estimated the field's reserves at 13.1 trillion to 21.2 trillion cubic metres.
Galkynysh, the Turkmen word for renaissance, is better known by its previous name, South Iolotan. It is being developed under a service contract by China's CNPC, Dubai-based Gulf Oil & Gas Fze, London-listed Petrofac and a Korean consortium of LG International Corp and Hyundai Engineering Co.
In a separate, official, release, Turkmenistan denied media reports that it had stopped supplying gas to Iran over a price dispute. The statement said some repair works had delayed deliveries for a short period.
"Turkmengas State Concern noted that Turkmenistan had supplied natural gas to Iran in line with the existing long-term agreements," Ashbagat said.
See also: Turkmenistan Must Provide “Incentives” for Companies on TAPI: US Official