Turkmenistan has world's second largest gas field

[Bengal_Tiger]

Turkmenistan holds world's second largest gas field

Former Soviet Turkmenistan holds the world's second largest gas field, auditors confirmed on Tuesday, underlining its growing importance as a global energy supplier.



By James Kilner, Almaty

5:25PM BST 11 Oct 2011



The announcement is likely to intensify the battle to gain access to energy reserves in the Central Asian state, considered one of the most reclusive and repressive countries in the world.

This year, delegations from China, Iran, India, Russia and the European Union have all travelled to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's capital, to woo Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and other senior officials

Now, after months of research, auditors Gaffney, Cline & Associates said on Tuesday that the South Iolotan field contains between 13.1 trillion cubic metres and 21.2 trillion cubic metres of gas, second only in size to Iran's South Pars.

This is a rise from their 2008 estimate of between 4 trillion cubic metres and 14 trillion cubic metres of gas.

"Turkmenistan's gas reserves are more than enough for any potential demand over the foreseeable future, whether it be from China, Russia, Iran or Europe," Reuters quoted, Jim Gillett, Gaffney, Cline & Associates business development manager as saying.


Turkmen gas is vital to a number of ambitious pipeline projects. The European Union considers the Nabucco project, which aims to pump gas from the Caspian to central Europe central to its plan to reduce its dependency on Russia but to make the project work it needs Turkmen gas.
This year India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have also been negotiating with Turkmenistan for supplies to the so-called TAPI pipeline project which wind its way from Central Asia through South Asia.
Russia, too, has been trying to mend relations damaged during a row over gas prices in 2009.
Against all this is China's growing influence in the region. China has made several major deals over the last few years and now owns large swathes of Central Asia's oil. To drive oil and gas east it has also laid down a web of pipelines, including from Turkmenistan.
Chinese state oil and gas company CNPC is one of four companies that won a tender in 2009 to develop the South Ioloten field. The other three companies were Petrofac Emirates and South Korea's LG International Corp and Hyundai Engineering Co

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...gas-field.html

[Bengal_Tiger]

1. Afghanistan lies next door to a central Asian Qatar. Turkmenistan has a tiny population of 5 million, but the 4th highest rate of economic growth in the world.

A lot of Turkmenistan is desert just like Qatar, UAE or Saudi.




Karakum desert in Turkmenistan, much of the country is covered by the desert.



Turkmenistan borders Afghanistan, and is probably Afghanistan's most stable, peaceful and least problematic border.



Camels in Turkmenistan.



Turkmens were (some still are) nomads like gulf Arabs.


2. With the creation of a new Qatar next to Afghanistan, Afghanistan should try and do the following.

a: Afghans should seek to fill employment gaps in Turkmenistan, in comparison to going to the UAE, Qatar, Saudi as many do now.

b: Generate tourism revenue from Turkmen tourists and other tourists who can visit Afghanistan after an initial visit to Turkmenistan.

c: Work on generating revenue from the Trans-Afghanistan pipeline with Turkmenistan and whoever is south, be it the current federation of Pakistan or an independent Balochistan (and Sindh).

The Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAP or TAPI) is a proposed natural gas pipeline being developed by the Asian Development Bank.[1][2][3] The pipeline will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India. The abbreviation comes from the first letters of those countries. Proponents of the project see it as a modern continuation of the Silk Road.[4][5] The Afghan government is expected to receive 8% of the project's revenue.[citation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Afghanistan_Pipeline

Estimates vary as to how much money the pipeline is worth, some say $12 trillion (a thousand billion), others say more. However 8% of $12 trillion is almost a trillion dollars itself. Afghanistan with its relatively low population would become another Iraqi Kurdistan or Oman, if not Qatar, a wealthy state.

However none of the above are easy to achieve, as some say the whole reason for the US invasion of Afghanistan is the pipeline itself, and it has not even been completed after 10 years, but is nearing completion. Also all of the above things necessitate political and military stability which Afghanistan's neighour to the west does not want.

But....


there has been progress, see below.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Prospects for Turkmen-Afghan cooperation in railway sector discussed in Ashgabat

A meeting with a delegation of the Ministry of Public Works of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan led by Advisor to Minister Abdul Jamil Haser took place at the Ministry of Railway Transport of Turkmenistan.

During the meeting it was noted that currently economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was developed dynamically in many fields. For many years Turkmenistan has been supplying electricity to the northern regions of Afghanistan. This February President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov issued the Resolution on construction of a new power transmission line towards Afghanistan that would enable to increase exports of Turkmen electricity to the neighbouring country as high as 5 times. The preparations for implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project are underway. Trade cooperation between the two countries is enhanced steadily.

In this context emphasis was put on the timeliness of the international initiatives to strengthen peace and stability in Afghanistan put forward by the leader of the Turkmen state at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly. These included the vitally important task to provide assistance to Afghanistan in development of transport infrastructure suggested by the President of Turkmenistan. In particular, the Turkmen leader put forward the proposal to implement the project of construction of a railway line from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan with a view of extending it onward in the territory of Afghanistan. International organisations, donor countries and international financial institutions could collaborate actively on this project.
The meeting participants discussed the specific aspects of this project and the possibilities to construct a new railway route, which would become an important link of the international railway network connecting countries of the Asian region.
In particular, the project provided for construction of the two sections of the railway route: the 85-km section Atamyrat-Imamnazar in the territory of Turkmenistan and the 35-km section from Imamnazar to Akina [Aqina] settlement in territory of Afghanistan.

The Turkmen partners informed the Afghan counterparts that the design work under the project for construction of the Atamyrat-Imamnazar section was nearly completed. This section will be built by the subdivisions of the Ministry of Railway Transport of Turkmenistan. The members of the Afghan delegations suggested that Turkmen specialists be involved in conducting a feasibility study and building the Imamnazar-Akin section in the territory of Afghanistan.
The meeting participants emphasized that dynamic trade and economic partnership between the two countries as well as implementation of new joint infrastructure projects would offer a powerful impetus to boost Afghan economy, address social challenges such as employment of local population, attract investment and have a positive influence on the current situation in the country.

http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afgh...way-discussed/




A comment on the site above says:

Michael G. Erickson says:
March 10, 2011 at 19:44
In October of 2011 the new railroad line from Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan should be completed. This means that rail shipments of goods from Europe will be able to reach Afghanistan without going through Uzbekistan.
Unfortunately, the only Afghanistan link, to the Turkmenistan rail lines, is at Towraghondi, Afghanistan. The small rail yard there will not be able to handle the expected increase in shipments. Thus a new rail yard needs to be constructed, and Andkhoy in Afghanistan is an ideal location for such a rail yard.
The motivation for Turkmenistan to build the link from Atamyrat to Andkhoy is obvious. Turkmenistan should be able to earn a great deal of money from the transit fees for cargo going through their country to Afghanistan.

Also from May:


Unlocking the Potential in Afghan-Turkmen Relations







The visit of President Hamid Karzai and the accompanying delegation to neighboring Turkmenistan and the resulting expansion in bilateral cooperation was long overdue. As a result of the visit, which was cut short after the Taliban's massive attack in Takhar, five bilateral documents were signed and the full spectrum of issues concerning both countries was discussed. As anticipated, the peace process in Afghanistan figured prominently in the discussions between the two presidents and the accompanying high-level ministers and officials. President Karzai and the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, discussed in detail a host of bilateral issues and matters pertaining to mutual relations and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) concerning the two countries' cooperation and friendship.
Turkmenistan has agreed to build a 150-km extension to a railway line which will connect the eastern part of Turkmenistan to Andkhoi border town in Faryab province of Afghanistan. Our country relies on Turkmenistan for meeting a large part of the country's electricity needs. At present, Afghanistan imports more than 320 million kilowatt hours of electricity every year from Turkmenistan. As a result of the agreement between the two countries during President Karzai's visit, this figure will increase by five times over the next 3 years. Media, culture, arts, tourism and education have been among other areas in which MoUs were signed between the two countries, given their shared history, common cultural heritage and the potential that exists for deepening cooperation in these areas. The commerce ministers of both countries signed MoUs for expanding bilateral trade between the two countries by way of establishing greater communication between the chambers of commerce of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
The peace process and attempts at talking with Taliban figured prominently in the talks between the two leaders. President Karzai sought to assure the Turkmen leaders that the talks and negotiations aimed at bringing a settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan will be "Afghan-led" and that no outside power will be allowed to interfere and derail the process. President Karzai explained to his Turkmen counterpart that Afghanistan and Pakistan are serious in seeking a negotiated settlement to the conflict as there is no sole military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. He also reassured Turkmen leaders that the interests of all regional countries will be protected during and in the outcome of the peace process.
In the past, Turkmenistan had voiced its support to seeking a resolution to the conflict in Afghanistan through negotiations and pursuit of an inter-Afghan peace process in which Afghans should take the lead. As far as this is concerned, Kabul and Ashgabat share the same view that is the peace process should be led and steered by the government of Afghanistan away from interference by outside powers. Turkmenistan recently issued a 5-point program detailing its policy towards Afghanistan aimed at helping Afghanistan become a viable state in the region. Training of Afghan bureaucrats and civil servants, providing Afghanistan with transport infrastructure projects such as the extension of its railway lines to northern Afghanistan and taking care of immediate energy and power needs of Afghanistan are at the heart of Turkmenistan's policy of assistance towards Afghanistan.
A great deal of potential has always existed in Afghanistan-Turkmenistan relations. The two countries are very well poised to benefit immensely from greater bilateral relations in the areas of power and energy and its transport networks, trade, business and commerce, education and cultural affairs. The visit by our country's president and the high-level delegation can be a promising first step towards unlocking the great wealth of potential that currently lies dormant in the bilateral relations of both countries. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest gas reserves in the world making it one of the principal energy hubs in the world. Therefore, Afghanistan can be a vital partner to Turkmenistan in helping that country to achieve its goal of diversifying its gas markets and gas transport routes. Traditionally, Turkmen gas has been exported via Russia as Russian pipelines have been the only available transport route for Turkmen gas to reach European markets.
Turkmenistan has been actively on the lookout to build alternate routes and the route through Afghanistan has been the most feasible and economical. The rise of India as an economic giant and its increasing energy needs make Turkmenistan and Central Asia energy markets of choice for that country and also China. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI) has been one of the most important regional initiatives to be undertaken by these regional countries. The agreement to build the pipeline to transport Turkmen gas to Afghanistan and Pakistan and thereafter to India was signed in 2010. Security concerns remain a challenge in the operationalization of the pipeline especially in the Afghanistan and Pakistan sectors. However, given the tremendous economic and financial benefits that arise both in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a result of the hefty transport fees reaching hundreds of millions of dollars a year and the related employment generation, it is expected that the governments involved will do their utmost in providing security to the pipelines that will be buried deep underground.
The region that Afghanistan is located in its midst comprised of Central Asia and South Asia is set to witness significant economic transformation in the years and decades to come. India, China and to some extent Russia will increasingly act not only as powerful centers of growth and development in the broader region but will also act as engines of growth for the global economy. The nascent process of convergence and integration among Central Asian and South Asian countries will continue unabated and the result will be more opportunities for growth and progressive transformation in the broader region.
Afghanistan is in the middle of this unfolding regional transformation. In the future, a peaceful and progressive Afghanistan, therefore, can benefit immensely from these opportunities. If the agreements inked with Turkmenistan are followed up and acted upon by both countries, the same can be pursued by other countries in Central Asia such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In essence, that will amount to tightening of this web of regional cooperation in an era of globalization where bilateral and multilateral pacts of cooperation are the only way for countries to bring about growth and development and realize the aspirations of their people.

Unlocking the Potential in Afghan-Turkmen Relations | The Daily Outlook Afghanistan

[Bengal_Tiger]

Even if the TAPI (Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline) never materializes, Turkmenistan will become wealthy by supplying gas to Europe through the Caspian sea.

So Bangladesh should:

1. Establish an embassy in Asghabat, Turkmenistan.
2. Promote bi-lateral ties including in education, student exchange, tourism.
3. Export ships, DVD players, TVs, fridges and other products to Turkmenistan.
4. Help Turkmenistan with Islamic financing and Islamic investment.