Turkmenistan to export more gas to China
By Fatma Babayeva
Turkmenistan will be able to increase gas supply to China in the near future with the construction of a gas booster station, the Turkmen Ministry of Oil and Gas announced on April 25.
The gas booster station, which is under construction at Malai gas field, in Turkmenistan will have the capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of gas a year. The field is currently operated by Turkmengaz state concern.
Turkmenistan's Turkmennebitgazgurlushyk state concern has been involved in the construction of the facility, the report said.
Earlier, Turkmengaz signed an agreement with Chinese national petroleum cooperation- CNPC on providing 65 billion cubic meters of gas annually to China by the end of 2021.
Malai field is among the sources for the Central Asia- China gas pipeline, also known as Turkmenistan –China gas pipeline, which was commissioned in 2009.
The gas booster station is designed to improve the technical and economic indicators of the initial section of the main gas pipeline.
Installations will fulfill gas pumping functions that will facilitate its supply and transport and increase the production levels at low pressure in the field.
Turkmenistan enjoys the world's fourth largest natural gas reserves after Russia, Iran, and Qatar It produces about 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The country is one of the key players in the energy market in the resource-rich Caspian region.
Moreover, the country plans to construct the world's largest gas-chemical complex in the Derveze district of Turkmenistan's Akhal province.
Turkmenistan is a major strategic partner of China in natural gas provision. Roughly 35 percent of China’s gas import accounts for the Turkmen gas.
Earlier this year, Russian energy giant Gazprom’s refused to purchase Turkmen natural gas. It left Turkmenistan with just two big customers – China and Iran.
---
Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz