President: Turkmenistan will export up to 180 billion cubic meters of gas per year
Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Sept. 30 /Trend G.Hasanov/
By 2030, Turkmenistan plans to reach the gas production of 230 billion cubic meters, much of which will be exported. Volume of exports by this period may be closer to 180 billion cubic meters of gas per year, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov told press on Sept. 30.
According to experts, total natural gas reserves in Turkmenistan are estimated at 24.6 trillion cubic meters.
The Turkmen leader also noted that based on data from the discovery of large gas fields (the Chinese CNPC Company announced about the latest discoveries from the right bank of the Amu Darya), work is conducted to increase the supply of natural fuels to China and Iran.
Ashgabat considers perspective the construction of an international pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI). Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed the country's intention to commit to the course of multi- variance of energy supplies and promote the initiative within the UN to adopt relevant international standards on security of transnational pipeline infrastructure.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan "preserves" the strategic nature of oil and gas cooperation with its longtime partner - Russia, although the global financial economic crisis has slowed the rate of implementation of joint projects," said the President.
At the same time, it was stated that the "meeting with the President of the Russian Federation and the constant interaction between the companies of both countries have shown the prospects of mutually advantageous partnership in this regard." Amongst the priorities was called the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline, which aims to "expand the supply in north direction".
Official Ashgabat also displays an interest in Europe in the nearest outlook. According to Berdimuhamedov, "coincidence of interests of Turkmenistan, as the largest producer of natural gas, and the European Union, where growth in energy imports is projected already in the next decade, was caused by the increasing dynamics of relations at the interstate level." He added that "Ashgabat is exploring new possibilities to export energy resources to Europe."
According to the annual report of BP, in 2009 Turkmenistan ranked fourth for natural gas reserves in the world after Russia, Iran and Qatar. In particular, in many respects it was connected with the discovery of large reserves of fuel in eastern Turkmenistan - on the Yolotan field, where work worth nearly $10 billion is conducted on its industrial development. Forecasted resources of this territory over the past two years, after additional research of geologists, has been increased from 14 trillion cubic meters of gas to 18 trillion cubic cubic meters of gas.
