OREANDA-NEWS. April 19, 2010. Construction of a linear section of the gas pipeline Central Karakum- Yylanly compressor station laid by the Russian company MRK-Engineering, which is affiliated with the Itera Group of companies, is completed. This gas artery is to ensure gas supply from the fields located in the heart of the Turkmen desert to the Turkmenistan-Europe gas pipeline that is one of the oldest gas export routes towards the north.

This project implemented in accordance with the Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan issued in early 2009. In accordance with the document the Turkmengaz State Concern concluded the USD 176.5 million contract with MRK Engineering for design and construction of the pipeline 200 km long with the estimated capacity of 3 billion cubic metres a year.

According to the Itera Holding, about 90 percent of works under the project has been completed. Currently, the specialists are engaged in laying high-voltage transmission lines and fiber optic cables and testing the pipeline for leaks. Also, they will install automatic control system (ACS) and assemble a gauging unit that will ensure precise control over the volumes of ‘blue fuel’ pumped by pipeline. All works are expected to be completed by this summer.

The new infrastructure pipeline will transport gas from the Zeagli-Darvaza group of fields in the Central Karakum, where the specialists of the Turkmengaz State Concern are engaged in building necessary facilities. The development of these deposits has been considered unprofitable for a long time because of their remoteness from each other and the existing pipeline network. The effective technologies for hydrocarbon extraction are widely used in the epoch of new Revival and fundamental reform that has allowed designing and implementing the project aimed at developing and bringing gas fields in the Central Karakum into production. It is planned to extract up to 3 billion cubic metres of gas a year in this region.

Cooperation in the fuel and energy sector is a key priority of collaboration with the Itera Company, which is one of the leading Russian partners of Turkmenistan for the past sixteen years implementing joint investment projects in various sector of Turkmen economy. As is known, last September Itera signed the production sharing agreement with the State Agency for Hydrocarbon Resources Management and Use under the President of Turkmenistan for block 21 in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. Exploration work will be launched in the contract territory this year. Currently, the company conducts the environmental monitoring, and then it will start to prepare project documentation. According to the company’s estimates, about USD 5 billion will be invested in project activities.