OREANDA-NEWS. August 07, 2009. Another construction site started up in the south of Turkmenistan in Mary Velayat: A new export route for Turkmen natural gas is being laid in the south of Turkmenistan. Dovletabad-Iran gas pipeline will enable to substantially increase ‘blue’ fuel’ exports to the southern neighbour, reported the Official website turkmenistan.gov.tm.

According to Turkmengaz State Concern, the section to be laid from Dovletabad field to Salyr Yap settlement situated on the Turkmen-Iranian border will be 30.5 km long. The pipe size is 1,020 millimetres. By early August Maryneftegazstroy specialists competed welding on a 10-km section of the pipeline. To date, gas industry workers have completed laying, cleaning and planning of the pipeline. At present specialists are engaged in laying and welding pipes.

As is known the agreement on construction of Dovletabad-Salyr Yap gas pipeline was reached this July. Upon concluding the Turkmen-Iranian talks in Ashgabat the sides negotiated an increase in the volume of Turkmen natural gas exports to Iran up to 14 billion cubic metres a year. The partners negotiated the price for natural gas exported from Turkmenistan to Iran according to the international formula.

Aiming to expand international energy cooperation with the neighbouring countries in particular and enhance mutually advantageous Turkmen-Iranian partnership in this strategic sector President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed the high-ranking officials of the oil and gas departments to ensure prompt implementation of the agreements. In according with the bilateral agreements Turkmenistan is to start to supply ‘blue fuel’ via the new route to the southern neighbour this December.

Construction of the Turkmenistan-Iran gas pipeline is to be completed in October. By that time the ultraviolet testing gas separator that will show the exact figures of the volume of gas export will be installed at the gas pipeline terminal. The estimated capacity of the new gas pipeline is 12.5 billion cubic metres of ‘blue fuel’ a year.

Attaching particular importance to gas industry as a priority field of cooperation in the energy sector Turkmenistan and Iran intend to create incentives to increase ‘blue fuel’ export to Iranian consumers up to 20 billion cubic metres a year. Gas will be supplied from Dovletabad field.

Enhancement of gas cooperation with Iran is one of the priority aspects of Turkmenistan’s new energy strategy based on the principles of diversification of transit of energy, mutual benefit, cost effectiveness and healthy competition.

Turkmenistan has the sufficient volumes of tank gas that is in increasing demand on world markets. Therefore, the measures are taken on the initiative of the Turkmen leader to expand the marketing outlets for Turkmen energy. Thus, along with the existing options of gas exports Turkmenistan will start to supply ‘blue fuel’ to China via the new gas pipeline in 2010.