Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 16
By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend:
The construction of the 'East-West' gas pipeline is coming to an end, said Turkmenistan's Oil Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry Oct. 16.
The pipeline, which is to be about 1,000 km long, will link the main gas fields of Turkmenistan under a single gas transportation system and allow the country to significantly increase its export potential.
The ministry said the construction of this gas pipeline, which is capable in case of necessity to deliver large amounts of energy resources, will greatly expand opportunities to diversify supply routes for Turkmen gas, and create additional guarantees for a reliable and stable export of Turkmen energy resources to international markets.
In particular, it will be possible to sell 30 billion cubic meters of marketable gas from the richest deposits in Turkmenistan to the projected international gas pipeline systems, which start running from the country's west.
Turkmenistan is one of the key players in the gas market of the Caspian region and Central Asia.
The 'East-West' gas pipeline can be used to supply Turkmenistan's gas to Europe.
The most optimal route for doing so is the construction of a 300-km gas pipeline across the Caspian Sea to the coast of Azerbaijan, which can play a role of transit country in the Turkmen gas supplies to Turkey, and then to Europe.