OREANDA-NEWS. July 6, 2009. Recently, the specialists Turkmengaz and Turkmennebitgazgurlusyk State Concerns put the gas treating unit into operation in Gurrukbil-Garabil group of deposits, which is located in the territory Tahtabazar Etrap, Mary Velayat. Putting in to operation of the unit with the capacity of 4 billion cubic metres a year marked the beginning of the first stage of pilot commercial production on the deposits.

Development of the gas fields of Gurrukbil-Garabil group is a vivid illustration of the accelerated putting the newly discovered gas deposits on production. It was the task that President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has set to oil and gas industry worker. The Turkmen leader called upon the oil and gas enterprises to enhance the potential of ‘blue fuel’ production within a short period.

According to Turkmengaz State Concern, construction of the gas treating unit helped to accelerate the preparations of Gurrukbil-Garabil group of deposits for operation. Construction of the desulfurization plant nearby the deposits would require much more time and capital investments. Therefore, the more effective decision to use the reserve capacities of the existing desulfurization plant in Dovletabad-3 field was taken.

After gas is separated and treated from liquids and impurities it is transported via the 55-km gas pipeline to the Dovletabat plant where gas is treated from hydrogen sulfide. Then pure methane is piped to Dovletabad-Deryalyk main pipeline. This pipeline transport gas to consumers in the country and abroad.

Putting Gurrukbil-Garabil deposits on pilot commercial production will allow increasing gas production as high as 2 billion cubic metres a year by the end of this year. In future the production rate will increase to 4 billion cubic metres. Commercial production of the deposits designed for 30 years will ensure a further increase in gas production.

The proximity of multilayered gas fields of Gurrukbil, Eastern and Western Gurrukbil Garabil the largest gas condensate fields – Dovletabad-Donmez in the northwest and Garabil in the east allow making a conclusion about the existence of a common gas accumulation zone that opens up the vast opportunities to discover new gas deposits.

Putting Gurrukbil-Garabil group of deposits on production is a priority of the programme on gas industry development. Ranking among the world’s energy producers Turkmenistan takes the specific steps to significantly increase of hydrocarbon production within the next few years and become one of the world’s energy exporters.