OREANDA-NEWS. June 06, 2011.  Over ten billion cubic metres of Turkmen ‘blue fuel’ have been supplied to the People’s Republic of China since the Trans-Asian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China was put into operation. The leading news agencies all over the world reported this fact that testified to a steady increase in natural gas exports from the richest deposits in Turkmenistan to China.

As is known, the 7,000-km Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline was put into operation in 2009. Its designed capacity is 40 billion cubic metres a year. Currently, Turkmen gas is supplied from the Malay deposit developed by the Turkmengaz State Concern and from gas fields in the Bagtyyarlyk contractual site, where the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation operates under the production sharing agreement.

According to the Turkmengaz State Concern, at present Turkmen gas is supplied via the Trans-Asian pipeline strictly according to the 2011 delivery schedule. Turkmen natural gas supplied to consumers meets fully the contractual parameters.

It should be noted that the agreements reached by Turkmenistan and the People’s Republic of China stipulates for an increase in natural gas supplies up to 40 billion cubic metres a year that will be achieved within the next few years. Moreover, China that sees a rapid economic growth has expressed the willingness to increase imports of ecologically pure ‘blue fuel’ from Turkmenistan.

In particular, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the Central Commission of the CPC Central Committee He Guoqiang held the talks in Ashgabat last June to discuss the possibilities to build the second branch of the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline that will enable to increase enhance natural gas exports from Turkmenistan to China in excess of 40 billion cubic metres agreed upon earlier.

It should be noted that implementing successfully the energy strategy initiated by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to diversify energy transit and enhance ‘blue fuel’ exports to major world markets, Turkmenistan supplies ‘blue fuel’ to different countries including China, Iran and Russia.

During the briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs focusing on the oil and gas sector related issues it was noted that the existing tremendous hydrocarbon potential of the country enabled to guarantee natural gas exports under all contractual obligations concluded as well as future projects of new export gas pipelines.

In this regard it should be emphasized that new natural gas deposits are explored and put on production rapidly. Evidence for this includes the huge South Yoloten-Osman field located in the eastern part of the country. In the framework of the II International Gas Congress and Exhibition held recently in the Avaza national tourism zone the representative of the Gaffney, Cline & Associates firm (UK) presented the report on the ongoing work on evaluation of natural gas reserves of the Southern Yoloten-Osman field. The expert stated that the company would complete the new audit of this field taking into account the results of the surveys conducted by Turkmen geologists in recent years. This will enable to present the new data to evaluate the reserves of the Southern Yoloten-Osman field.

Currently, the Turkmengaz State Concern is implementing the large-scale investment project for construction of surface facilities in this field. Over USD 10 billion have been invested for this purpose.

Launching consistently large-scale oil and gas projects of international significance, Turkmenistan of the epoch of new Revival builds up its operation on world energy markets. Moreover, Turkmenistan demonstrates the very responsible approach to international cooperation issues by implementing constructive initiatives to diversify pipeline infrastructure and elaborate a reliable mechanism for stable transit of energy to world markets put forward by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the sessions of the UN General Assembly.