Natural gas occupies a leading position as a way to meet the world’s growing energy needs. According to an analysis by the International Energy Agency, natural gas consumption will grow by almost 20% by 2030 and will remain at the same level until 2040. Murad Archaev, Deputy Chairman of Turkmengaz State Concern, told about this in his presentation.
Over time, the contribution of natural gas will vary greatly by region and sector. In energy systems heavily dependent on coal, where renewable alternatives are less available, especially in some industrial sectors where seasonal flexibility is required to integrate high proportions of renewable energy sources, gas will play an important role, the speaker noted.
Given the high demand for natural gas in the coming years, Turkmenistan is gradually developing and developing the Galkynysh supergiant field, as well as making efforts to bring its energy resources to world markets.
According to Archayev, there are great opportunities for the transportation of Turkmen natural gas in all directions.
Thus, the main purpose of the mutual cooperation agreement signed on March 1, 2024 by the State Concern Turkmengaz and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye is to develop cooperation in the field of natural gas and is aimed at supplying Turkmen natural gas to Türkiye and subsequent transit to world markets.
The agreement signed between the State Concern Turkmengaz and the National Oil and Gas Company of Iran, signed in August 2024, aims to supply up to 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Iran, as well as transit through a swap scheme through Iran to Iraq, along the southern route to Türkiye and European countries.
Turkmengaz plans to significantly expand the country’s gas export capacity through several major projects, announced the Deputy Chairman. These projects include:
• Construction of an underground gas storage facility
• Development of Karakum and Shatlyk compressor stations at gas condensate fields
• Building gas purification plants at Zyakli-Derweze
“These projects are planned to be implemented by attracting foreign contractors on the basis of international tenders, in this regard, Turkmengaz invites large foreign companies and financial institutions to participate in the implementation of large gas projects in Turkmenistan, including the development of gas fields, the construction of gas pipelines and other promising projects through attracting investments,” he stressed Archaev.
In the presentation, he also touched upon the environmental aspects of the activities of the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan.
“In recent years, historically important documents have been adopted by the United Nations and other international environmental organizations in connection with climate change and global warming. In this regard, Turkmenistan, being a country that extracts and processes hydrocarbon resources, also performs appropriate work on the implementation of projects in order to comply with environmental obligations,” he said.
“In particular, in the near future it is planned to hold international tenders for the modernization and reconstruction of facilities of the oil and gas complex of Turkmenistan, as well as the introduction of new technologies and the provision of necessary equipment to eliminate methane emissions,” Archaev noted. ///nCa, 24 October 2024