Foreign consortium builds gas processing plant in Turkmenistan
By Fatma Babayeva
State Concern Turkmengaz plans to build a plant for processing natural gas into GTL together with a consortium of South Korean LG, Hyundai Company and Japanese Itochu, announced the Turkmen government said on April 22.
The question on the laying foundation of this complex in Akhal region which is located in the central part of Turkmenistan was discussed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed the significance of the gas processing industry, particularly drawing attention to its intensive development which is intended to facilitate integrated industrialization of the regions, diversification of the national economy and increase in the export of demanded products to the world markets.
The president instructed to keep in focus the matters related to the implementation of the new investment project in Akhal region and to equip the plant with modern technologies. The industrial complex should meet all safety requirements for the environment.
The new complex is expected to process 3.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas and produce 1.1 million tons of diesel fuel and 400,000 tons of straight-run gasoline (naphtha) per year.
Earlier, Turkmenistan announced a plan to construct 10 industrial enterprises in November 2015.
At the moment, Turkmenistan is building the gas-chemical complex for the production of polyethylene and polypropylene and the plant for processing natural gas into A-92 and Euro-5 gasoline. Both plants will be commissioned in 2018.
In addition, the construction of the plant producing polymers from methanol is also planned.
Almost all gas chemical and gas processing plants are export-oriented.
Overall, advance processing of natural gas will increase share of processed goods in export of Turkmenistan. The country will not only enhance its position in primary energy market, but also will take a worthy place in the gas and chemical products market.
Turkmenistan possesses 9.3 percent of the world’s total proven natural gas reserves and produces 2 percent of the total natural gas output, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2015.
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