OREANDA-NEWS. April 16, 2010. The International Gas Congress, the first one which had ever been conducted in the Turkmen capital, opened in the Turkmen capital. This forum was of profound media interest inside the country as well as abroad that was conditioned by the growing export potential, huge hydrocarbon reserves and favourable investment climate created in Turkmenistan in the epoch of new Revival and grandiose reforms. The Congress brought together about 600 participants from 35 countries – scientists and experts, the representatives of specialized agencies and the world’s leading fuel and energy companies, the heads of the diplomatic missions and representations accredited to Turkmenistan. The international forum was organized by the Turkmengaz State Concern, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the British company Summit Trade Events Ltd.

As is known, Turkmenistan stands for reducing global risk of energy transit to consumers and invites all countries and companies concerned to build a dialogue on a mutually advantageous basis. The initiatives put forward by the leader of the Turkmen state at the session of the United Nations General Assembly, were supported by the world community. A critical step towards this goal was made at I International Gas Congress of Turkmenistan that provided an opportunity to discuss the ways to tackle energy security challenges at the global level.

In the welcoming statement to participants of the Gas Congress President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan paid particular attention to efficient hydrocarbon production and processing, application of state-of-the-art equipment and advanced technologies in industry, the technical level of gas industry, construction and modernization of gas pipelines. The International Gas Congress was expected to produce a positive impact on the intensification of the activity aimed at diversifying stable, reliable and long-term transit of energy to world markets, promote the conclusion of new international contracts in this field and ensure mutually beneficial utilization of fuel resources for exporters, transit countries and consumers.

Modern Turkmenistan has firmly declared itself to be one of the largest gas exporters to world markets. It was noted during the Congress that today specialists estimated at over 24 trillion cubic metres, and exploration activity was continued. The most important projects included the development of the Southern Yoloten-Osman with huge gas reserves, the first stage of which required US\\\\$ 10 billion investments. The grandiose plans are built for the Garabil-Gurrukbil, Central Karakum groups and other deposits. Foreign companies are particularly interested in developing rich hydrocarbon reserves in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

The Turkmen leader’s policy aimed at diversifying gas exports and exploring new markets contributes profoundly to employing the potential of the gas sector. Recently, the ‘XXI century project’ has been completed – the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline has been put into operation, and the Dowletabat-Hangeran gas pipeline, which was constructed in the shortest period possible to open another outlet for Turkmen ‘blue fuel’ to neighbouring Iran, has started to work. The possibilities to build export transnational gas pipelines along with the existing ones are under consideration.

Much effort are put to develop gas-processing industry that enable to increase production of carbamide, carbon black, there is liquefied gas that is in increased demand on world market as fuel and the valuable materials for chemical industry. All this arouse intense interest of the leading foreign companies in cooperating in hydrocarbon production, transportation and processing which stand ready to offer advanced technologies in this field.

The delegations of the European Union, the United States, Russia, Korea, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in the Congress. Addressing the forum EU Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger said that concerted efforts aimed at building gas transportation systems, diversifying hydrocarbon transit were supported worldwide. Today Turkmenistan raked among the key players on the world energy market, and the prospects for cooperation with Turkmen partners in the oil and gas sector were very high.

The representatives of the international organizations and the world’s leading oil and gas companies including Chevron, Shell, RWE, BP, LUKOIL, Itera, ENI and others presented the reports on the first day of the Congress. The foreign participants focused on the great prospects of mutually beneficial partnership with Turkmenistan and the critical role of our country as a world’s energy producer in achieving global energy security. The presentations of the Turkmen fuel and energy departments, which spotlighted the potential of gas producing and processing industry, were of particular interest.

During two days the forum participants discussed the issues related to developing global energy market, achieving energy security, developing and applying advanced technologies. A focus of the forum was investments in ‘blue fuel’ production and processing, the role and the legal and financial aspects of international cooperation in the gas sector. The significance of this forum was conditioned by the fact that today the weight of ‘blue fuel’ in the global hydrocarbon consumption pattern steadily increases.

The international exhibition including the expositions of the leading foreign and Turkmen agencies and companies was organized in the framework of the Congress.