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Experts: Turkmenistan seeks new ways of interacting with Europe in power engineering

Oil&Gas Materials 23 December 2010 17:23 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 23 / Trend H. Hasanov /

Turkmenistan is looking for new ways to interact with Europe in the field of energy. The experts carefully estimate Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's decree to abolish the unique European office of the State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources headquartered in London.

"Apparently, it is time to negotiate directly with Ashgabat, where the main headquarters is situated," a western observer, involved in the Turkmen projects, said.

According to the document, such action was necessary to further improve and enhance the effectiveness of the agency.

The main tasks of the agency will involve considering investment proposals, the issue of licenses for using hydrocarbon resources, holding negotiations, and the signing of contracts with foreign organizations in constructing and using the pipelines. The agency issues licenses for exploration and development projects within the production sharing agreements (PSA).

The European community considers Turkmenistan, along with Azerbaijan and Iraq, as a potential fuel supplier in the Nabucco gas pipeline project.

It is obvious that official Ashkhabad is also interested in long-term gas supplies to European markets. There are more than reasonable prices, given that the country sells the fuel to China, Russia and Iran. Rather difficult negotiations on the cost of supplies are periodically held with them.

By 2030, gas production in Turkmenistan is expected to increase up to 230 billion cubic meters of gas, of which 180 billion are designed for export.

Moreover, Ashgabat stressed its readiness to supply to the European market within the Nabucco pipeline project, gas to the amount of 40 billion cubic meters a year. European analysts said that the share of Turkmenistan in demand in Europe will increase and bring it to the third-fourth place by 2030.

Moreover, Turkmen leadership, ranking fourth on the largest natural gas reserves in the world, has entrusted the British GCA to conduct an international audit of oil and gas resources in the country, as well as in the area of supergiant South Yoloten-Osman. The memorandum on cooperation in energy was signed with Great Britain.

The delegations of the Ministry of Energy of the United Kingdom regularly visit Ashgabat. The joint business forums are periodically held.

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