Turkmenistan to develop pipeline to export gas to Europe: president

Turkmenistan is working on developing a pipeline to export natural gas to Europe while construction of the TAPI pipeline is moving at a "high pace," the country's president, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, told an investor forum in Dubai on April 26.

According to a presentation at the forum, the East-West gas pipeline would supply gas through the Caspian Sea. The president did not elaborate on the project.

Speaking through a translator, the president said foreign investors are welcome to participate in the TAPI gas pipeline running through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India. Natural gas transported by pipeline is more attractive than LNG because it doesn't have to be shipped and thus has lower emissions, Muhammetmyrat Amanov, CEO of the TAPI Pipeline Co., told the conference. The pipeline "will contribute to reduced CO2 emissions and help to meet goals of the Paris Agreement and sustainability of the TAPI countries," he said.

Turkmenistan itself is developing projects to lower emissions, including a 10 MW solar-wind power plant, according to organizers of the forum. Construction has begun and is expected to start operations in January next year at the Altyn Asyr Lake, Energy Minister Hajymuhammet Rejepmyradov told S&P Global Commodity Insights at the forum.

The country is the world's fourth-largest emitter of methane from oil and gas production, at 4.9 million mt/year, after Russia, the US and Iran, Saamir Elshihabi, principal lead, energy transition, COP28 UAE, told the forum, citing IEA data. Dubai will host the climate change conference for two weeks starting in November.

The UAE has invested in the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors in Turkmenistan over the past two decades, including through Dragon Oil, Masdar and ADNOC, and remains "confident" the support will "further serve Turkmenistan as a global energy provider," UAE Minister of State Ahmed Ali al Sayeh told the forum.

Turkmenistan has the world's fourth-largest gas reserves after Qatar, Iran and Russia, with around 50 Tcm of proven reserves, Turkmengaz Chairman Batyr Amanov told the forum. The drilling contract for the second stage of the Galkynysh gas field is being negotiated at this time, Amanov added.

Turkmenistan is the largest supplier of gas via pipeline to China, CNPC Middle East President Wang Guihai said.

ADNOC has participated in Turkmenistan's refining, trading, drilling, upstream and infrastructure for about 15 years, Mohamed Saif al Aryani, executive vice president of ADNOC International, said.

Turkey is ready to start work on transiting gas from Turkmenistan to Europe, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Dec. 14, 2022, following a meeting with his counterparts from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in the Turkmen resort of Avaza.