Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 24 /Trend H.Hasanov/
Turkmenistan and the EU are holding constructive talks on gas supplies, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov announced to delegates of the international gas congress taking place on May 23-24.
'By creating a multi-vector pipeline system for the stable, reliable and long term withdrawal of energy to world markets, Turkmenistan is implementing these projects, based on their profitability for both suppliers and consumers of raw fuel', the report said.
It is also noted that 'Turkmen gas is supposed to be sent to European countries establishing cooperation of energy industry with relevant entities of Eurozone'.
"Constructive talks between Turkmenistan and the European Union on the question of supplies of Turkmen natural gas give a powerful impetus to the implementation of this project," the President stressed.
It is expected that Turkmenistan can ensure supplies to the world market due to expansion with the participation of foreign companies and the development of the Galkynysh field, recognised as one of the largest pockets of natural gas in the world.
It is expected that the security of supply to world markets can be provided by Turkmenistan. In addition, Turkmengaz began to build an internal East-West pipeline whose goal is to bring together the rich resources in the east with the coast of the Caspian Sea.
Ashgabat considers it as an attractive delivery option of natural resources to European markets through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
There is no direct agreement on the implementation of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline yet. However, in September 2011 the European Union issued a mandate to start negotiations on an agreement between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian project. Negotiations are underway.
Turkmenistan previously stated its readiness to supply gas to the Nabucco pipeline of up to 40 billion cubic meters, 10 billion of which can be provided by Malaysian Petronas. The rest of the volume can be achieved through East-West gas pipeline.
The Nabucco project covers the territory of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Austria. Its implementation, as well as the cost is periodically reviewed. Maximum capacity is 31 billion cubic meters of gas.
Potential buyers, Nabucco consortium members are Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Turkish Botas, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz and German RWE.
Ashgabat believes that with the consent of the parties (Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan), territory of which is covered by the project, is enough to lay a pipeline through the seabed of the Caspian Sea, legal status of which has not been yet determined.
Azerbaijan expressed its willingness to provide its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure to implement the project. Representatives of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) made this statement recently.