Currently, Turkmenistan still holds the top spot among the pipeline gas suppliers to the PRC. The Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline is an important contribution of Turkmenistan to international energy cooperation, through which the supply of Turkmen ‘blue fuel’ to the friendly country grows annually. Editor-in-Chief of Nebit-Gaz Newspaper Ussa Ussaev shared the details of ongoing work in the oil and gas sector in an interview with CentralAsia.news.
«Turkmenistan is doing large-scale work in this direction. An unforgettable event for oil and gas workers of our country took place on December 14, 2009. On that day, the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline, the source of which is the Galkynysh gas field that ranks second in the world in terms of gas reserves, was launched. National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the ceremony. It is from this day that our country solemnly celebrates the Day of Oil and Gas Workers and Geologists every year,» the specialist noted.
In his historic speech at the Halk Maslahaty meeting, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov specified the most important areas of development for Turkmenistan’s fuel and energy industry that is one of the major sectors of the national economy and plays an important role in achieving economic independence of Turkmenistan. The President identified diversification of natural gas exports to world markets among priority tasks.
«Another practical step to build new networks to transit energy to external markets is one of the ambitious projects — the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline with a length of 1,853 kilometres. It is not only to supply Turkmen natural gas to South Asia, but also to be a key factor in building up economic partnerships and strengthening peace and stability in the region,» Ussaev emphasised.
The expert noted that Turkmenistan as one of the world energy powers is seeking to build a new architecture of energy security that meets the modern conditions and requirements. Furthermore, the crucial task set to the fuel and energy sector is to meet the growing domestic energy demand, which is due to the dynamic growth rates in the major sectors of Turkmenistan’s economy, including the oil and gas, chemical, power and construction industries.
«The implementation of new gas industry projects is a key vector of the state policy. Currently, great importance is attached to conducting prospecting and exploration works to find rich deposits, increasing hydrocarbon production and processing, creating routes to transit Turkmen energy to world markets, using innovations in oil and gas production and intensifying well drilling and overhaul activities, including through attracting specialized foreign companies and investment,» Ussa Ussaev concluded.
