OREANDA-NEWS. May 26, 2011. The ceremony of opening II International Gas Congress and Exhibition took place in the Avaza national tourism zone on May 25. The large-scale specialized forum that contributes to expanding mutually beneficial energy partnerships is organized by the Turkmengas State Concern and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan.

The decision to hold these international forums annually is dictated by the growing willingness of the world business community to expand cooperation with Turkmenistan that is rightfully recognized as one of the world’s energy powers. Today, the Turkmen state takes consistent steps to implement large-scale projects aimed at strengthening the production potential of the oil and gas sector, developing gas transportation infrastructure and increasing exports of energy, which is in great demand on world markets.

Such representation of forum participants vividly testifies to the intense interest of the international business community in establishing close partnerships with Turkmenistan that resolutely pursues under the leadership of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the energy strategy aimed at employing the rich hydrocarbon potential of the country in the interests of the Turkmen people as well as the whole humankind.

The sector exhibition showcases outstanding achievements of the fuel and energy sector of Turkmenistan and provides foreign companies with an opportunity to present advanced technologies and state-of-the-art equipment to Turkmen specialists and discuss new prospects of mutually beneficial partnership on development of the gas industry.

Over 60 Turkmen and leading foreign companies are represented at the exhibition. The Turkmengas State Concern, the Turkmenneft State Concern, the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation, the Turkmenneftegazstroy State Corporation, the Turkmenhimiya State Corporation and other Turkmen enterprises present the diverse expositions that vividly illustrate their activities and the range of products.

Among foreign participants are 25 world’s leading producers from 20 countries, including the United States, the UK, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the UAE, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others. Some of them are long-term partners collaborating with Turkmenistan for many years as well as the newcomers seeking to establish cooperation with enterprises of the fuel and energy sector.

II International Gas Congress has brought together over 500 delegates. About 160 international organisations and companies from 31 countries of the world, including EU member states, the United States, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the UAE, the CIS, India, Indonesia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey and other countries, sent their delegations to participate in the forum.

The participation of the representatives of the European Commission, the Energy Charter as well as heads of ministries and departments of energy of the US, Russia, the UAE, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Republic of Korea ensure the high level of the forum. The heads and leading specialists of Chevron and Exxon-Mobil, Baker Hughes и Honeywell (USA), Shell (Holland-UK), OMV (Austria), RWE (Germany), BP and Gaffney, Cline & Associates (UK), SOKAR (Republic of Azerbaijan), GAIL (India), BOTAS (Turkey), Petronas (Malaysia), Gulf Oil & Gas (the UAE), CNPC (People’s Republic of China), Total (France) and many others presented the reports at the Gas Congress in Avaza.

The heads of the fuel and energy subdivisions made the presentations on the priorities of the energy strategy of the Turkmen state and presented the overview of ongoing and future projects aimed at strengthening the gas industry, enhancing its export potential and expanding the opportunities for development of the gas processing and chemical industries.

The representatives of foreign companies shared experience in successful operation on the Turkmen energy market and told about the possibilities to apply advanced technologies in industry and put forward the proposals on new investment projects, which would certainly contribute to expanding international partnerships of Turkmenistan in the energy sector.

The International Gas Congress is an opportunity to discuss a number of important issues of regional and international significance. These included the role of Turkmenistan as a major gas exporter to world markets, diversification of transit of energy, international cooperation and investment, development of national and regional gas transportation infrastructure. A number of meetings focused on the issues related to gas production such as prospecting of offshore and on-land gas deposits, gas reserve development, gas processing and promotion of gas chemistry, application of advanced technologies and equipment in industry.

A detailed and active dialogue taking place in the framework of the International Gas Congress and Exhibition is expected to contribute to expansion of existing business contacts and establishment of new ones with foreign companies on natural and associated gas production and processing, application of advanced technologies and equipment and attraction of substantial investment in the oil and gas sector.