You're reading: Big Turkmen field to produce gas in 2013, to feed Europe, Asia

ASHGABAT - Turkmenistan plans to begin production at the world's second-largest gas field next year, a senior Turkmen official said, opening up new U.S.-backed supply routes to Europe and Asia at the risk of Russian opposition.

The Central Asian nation plans to build two new pipelines to
carry gas from the Galkynysh field. One would run to Pakistan
and India and the other would cross the Caspian Sea en route to
the European Union, easing the bloc’s dependence on Russian gas.

“We can launch industrial output at Galkynysh next year,”
the Turkmen government official, who declined to be named
because he is not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.

“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.

Turkmenistan’s natural gas reserves rank fourth in the world
behind those of Russia, Iran and Qatar, BP data shows. 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.

As the start of production draws closer, senior Western
diplomats have urged Turkmenistan to waste no time in carving
out a niche for itself in the lucrative gas market.

The European Union is in talks with Turkmenistan and
Azerbaijan on building a trans-Caspian pipeline to Europe.

Patricia Flor, EU representative for Central Asia, urged
Turkmenistan “to reach agreement with EU energy companies on a
commercial contract, which would define volumes and price”.

“It is important to sign this agreement as soon as
possible,” she said. “World markets are volatile. Talking about
energy markets, we should bear in mind such agreements are
long-term.”

The Turkmen official said, “We would like to receive
guarantees on transit and purchase (volumes). We need to come to
a principle agreement on this.”

He said Turkmenistan was ready to supply 30 billion cubic
metres of gas to the pipeline annually.

MOSCOW WARY

Wary of potential competition with Caspian gas producers on
the European market, Russia has objected to plans to lay the 300
km (188-mile) Trans-Caspian pipeline.

Russia, which is one of the five littoral nations of the
Caspian, says the sea’s legal status is not yet defined and the
project could endanger the fragile ecosystem of the shallow sea.

Russia itself has been the traditional market for Turkmen
gas but has reduced its purchases to about 10 billion cubic
metres (bcm) per year from 40-45 bcm annually in the last two
years.

Because of the drop in exports to Russia, Turkmenistan
currently produces less than its annual capacity of 75 bcm.
Energy major BP estimates last year’s output at 59.5 bcm.

Turkmenistan, which also exports gas to Iran and China,
plans to increase annual output to 250 bcm by 2030.

Ties between the United States and Turkmen President
Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov are warmer than with his flamboyant
predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov. U.S. officials have stated
support for the project and see no legal issues.

“We affirm the proposition that if Turkmenistan and
Azerbaijan agree on a pipeline that crosses only their
territorial waters, no other country has veto power over that
decision,” Lynne Tracy, deputy assistant secretary of state at
the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, told the energy
conference on Wednesday.

The 1,735 km (1,085-mile) TAPI pipeline to Pakistan and
India, meanwhile, faces security challenges because it must
cross Afghanistan. Turkmen officials have said it could carry 1
trillion cubic metres of gas over a 30-year period, or 33 bcm a
year.

“The road ahead is long for this project, but the benefits
could be significant,” Tracy said.