OREANDA-NEWS. October 24, 2008. The geographical name – Southern Yoloten-Osman which has been unknown to many people across the world until now is frequently mentioned in the news blocks of the world news agencies, printed and electronic mass media. Today the comments, interviews with the experts and analytics specialized in oil and gas – the sphere of keen interest to world business community carry screaming headlines on the subject. Making itself news as the biggest discovery on the energy map of the world in recent years Southern Yoloten-Osman officially ranks among the largest four natural gas deposits that considerably enhanced Turkmenistan’s reputation as one of the world’s energy producers.

The international audit proved the huge reserves of natural gas in Turkmenistan – such is the leitmotif of almost all urgent reportages.

Spotlighting the results of the audit British Reuters commented that the availability of the considerable gas reserves in Turkmenistan – the largest gas exporter in Central Asia would enable the country to diversify the marketing outlets including those in Europe.

“The results of the audit put the Turkmen gas field Southern Yoloten-Osman in fourth-fifth place in the world by gas reserves” RIA-Novosti reported noting that the auditors used the international system of reserve evaluation and classification.

The newspapers and journals referred to a British specialist James Gillett and cited the figures illustrating the huge potential of the field.

Referring to the data officially announced by the Gaffney, Cline & Associates firm (GCA) that had conducted the audit and noting that ‘one cannot but believe such a not unknown British company” German Wave invited a well-known German expert Roland Goetz to discuss the breaking news. “The gas reserves are more than that shown in the western official statistical research,” the expert said. He also noted that until now the reserves of the Turkmen gas fields had been underestimated though would be able to export huge amounts of gas in the near future Turkmenistan.

The Interfax Agency reported “The Southern Yoloten-Osman field discovered by the subdivisions of the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation during the intensive exploratory work ranked among the sensational discoveries made by Turkmen geologists.” The iNterfax emphasized that the officially announced results of the audit enhanced the guarantees of supply of resources to the gas pipelines both ongoing and claimed by Turkmenistan that will export Turkmen natural gas to the world markets.

Referring to GCA the foreign mass media mentioned the reserves of the other large field Dovletabad with the gas reserves estimated as from 700 billion to 1.5 trillion cubic metres. It is quite obvious, the reports noted, that irrespectively of the results of the further work to adjust the amount of gas reserves they are enough for Turkmenistan to meet the international obligations.

According to foreign experts, involvement of the independent international in auditing Turkmenistan’s oil and gas deposits is particularly conditioned by its endeavours to provide the necessary guarantees to foreign investors who will collaborate in the large-scale fuel and energy projects including gas pipelines construction.