Turkmenistan expanding gas export sources to Iran
By Aynur Jafarova
Turkmenistan, one of the key players of the energy market in the resource-rich Caspian region, has recently expanding its raw material sources for gas export to neighboring Iran.
The Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry said on November 26 that Turkmenistan has produced a strong inflow of gas and gas condensate on the South Umytly site in the Balkan region as a result of conduction of exploration works.
"A commercial flow of gas and gas condensate has been produced from the red beds after completion of drilling operations on the first well at a depth of 4,213-4,219 meters," the ministry noted.
Recently, Turkmen geologists discovered a number of large deposits, such as Korpeje, Keimir, South Kamyshlydja, Akpatlavuk, Shatut, Nebitlije and Altyguyyin the Balkan region.
They serve as raw material sources for export of gas to Iran.
Turkmenistan has the world's fourth largest natural gas reserves after Russia, Iran, and Qatar, and produces about 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
As part of its energy strategy, Turkmenistan intends to increase the production and export of its natural gas, and diversify the routes of gas supply to major world markets.
Iran and Turkmenistan have common land borders and are neighboring countries in the Caspian Sea. Iran was the first nation to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent state. Since then, the two countries have enjoyed good relations and cooperation in the economic, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
Gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Iran started in the mid-90s after the launch of the Korpeje-Kordkuy gas pipeline. Another pipeline - the Dovletabat-Sarakhs-Hangeran pipeline - has also been commissioned recently. There was a demand for this pipeline, given the increasing export of Turkmen gas to Iran.