Turkmenistan enjoys huge plans to develop gas-chemical industry
By Aynur Karimova
Turkmenistan has developed a plan for construction of industrial facilities, where the production of gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic fibers, hydrochloric acid, caustic soda, polystyrene and other gas chemical products will be launched on the basis of advanced technologies for the processing of natural gas.
This was stated by Turkmen Oil and Gas and Natural Resources Ministry on November 23.
The ministry also noted that in general, Turkmenistan plans to
construct 10 new industrial facilities, engaged in the production
of 17 kinds of products.
Construction of a gas-chemical complex for production of
polyethylene and polypropylene with a capacity of 386,000 tons of
polyethylene and 81,000 tons of polypropylene per year, and a plant
for processing of natural gas into A-92 gasoline of Euro-5 standard
with a processing capacity of 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas,
designed to produce 600,000 tons of gasoline and 300,000 tons of
liquefied gas. These two facilities are scheduled to be
commissioned in 2018.
In late October 2015, Turkmenistan signed an agreement with a
consortium of companies "LG International Corp." and "Hyundai
Engineering Co" on the construction of a plant for processing of
natural gas into liquid fuel, including the production of more than
1 million tons of diesel and 425,000 tons of naphtha.
The country also plans to lay the foundation of a plant for
production of low density polyethylene of 150,000 tons and the
second plant for processing of natural gas into A-92 gasoline of
Euro-5 standard with a capacity of 600,000 tons, as well as to
construct a plant for production of polymers from methanol in the
near future.
Almost all gas chemical and gas processing plants which are being
constructed or planned to start building are export-oriented.
Thus, Turkmenistan will significantly expand its position not only in the market of primary energy resources, but will also take its rightful place in the market for gas and chemical products by betting on a deeper and more complex processing of natural gas and increase of the share of its products in export.
Natural gas, which still remains one of the most environmentally friendly energy resources in the 21st century, has become a valuable source of chemical raw material in the past decade. Obviously, natural gas and gas-chemical products will play the same role in the global economy and energy as oil and petrochemical industry played in the last century.
Given this fact, Turkmenistan pays special attention to the development of gas and gas-chemical industry.
Turkmenistan is one of the key players in the energy market of the resource-rich Caspian region. The Central Asian state 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.
The country also produces about 10 million tons of oil annually, a significant part of which is processed in local refineries.
Currently, domestic products exported to more than 40 world countries, including Turkey, China, Russia, UAE, Iran, Germany, U.S., UK, Ukraine, Switzerland are sold on the exchange.
The country plans to bring its oil refining industry capacity to 15 million tons of oil per year in 2015, up to 20 million tons in 2020, up to 22 million tons in 2025, and up to 30 million tons in 2030.
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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova
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