ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 16. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) intends to further deepen energy cooperation between China and Turkmenistan, Chairperson Houliang Dai said, Trend's special correspondent reports.
Speaking at an international scientific-practical conference in Ashgabat titled “Turkmenistan - People's Republic of China: 20 Years of Strategic Cooperation in the Gas Sector,” Dai noted that cooperation between the two countries has steadily expanded since the intergovernmental agreement signed in 2006, becoming a key pillar of bilateral relations.
He stated that the cumulative volume of gas supply contracts has reached 40 billion cubic meters per year, while total imports of Turkmen gas into China have exceeded 460 billion cubic meters. Overall trade turnover within the framework of cooperation has surpassed $93 billion.
Dai Houliang highlighted that gas fields on the right bank of the Amu Darya, developed under the Amu Darya right-bank project, have operated steadily for 17 years, producing around 190 billion cubic meters of gas. He also emphasized CNPC’s technological contributions, including drilling innovations that achieved a 100% success rate in certain projects and improved well productivity.
He noted that the company has actively invested in human capital, with around 200 Turkmen students educated in China and more than 56,000 specialists receiving professional training. CNPC’s total investment in Turkmenistan has exceeded $13 billion, while tax payments have surpassed $1.4 billion, contributing to the creation of over 8,000 jobs.
Looking ahead, Dai said CNPC plans to continue developing key projects, including the fourth phase of the Galkynysh field, and expand cooperation into new areas such as petrochemicals, engineering services, artificial intelligence, big data applications in the gas sector, and joint initiatives in green energy.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening humanitarian ties through educational and cultural exchanges, as well as improving coordination and risk management mechanisms to ensure stable project implementation.
“China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation is at the best stage in its history and holds significant potential for further growth,” the CNPC chairperson said.
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