OREANDA-NEWS. July 2, 2008. The investment project aimed at developing the gas infrastructure: construction of a gas processing plant that is to supply gas to the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline was started in the Samandepe field on the right bank of the Amu Darya River.

The gas processing plant with the capacity of 5 billion cubic metres per year is to be constructed by the China National Petroleum and Gas Corporation that is engaged in developing and extracting hydrocarbon resources in the Bagtyyarlyk contractual territory under the Production Sharing Agreement concluded with the State Agency for Hydrocarbon Resources Management and Use under President of Turkmenistan.

The cabinet ministers, the high-ranking officials and specialists of the oil and gas ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, the experts of the China National Petroleum and Gas Corporation and the honorary guests – a special representative of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the first deputy of the Committee for Development and Reforms, the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People's Republic China to Turkmenistan, the deputy director general of the China National Petroleum and Gas Corporation and the members of the Chinese delegation participated in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new facility.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulated the participants of the ceremony on the remarkable event. The Turkmen leader noted that diversifying export of Turkmen energy resources to the world markets was a priority trend of Turkmenistan’s energy policy aimed at effectively implementing the country’s resource potential for the benefit of the people, in the interests of the world community. The long-term agreements on gas co-operation concluded with a number of the states, modernization of the Caspian gas pipeline and construction of the new one, implementation of the number of the large-scale projects in the sphere of transport and communication – all that would enable to considerably increase the volumes of Turkmen natural gas sales on the world markets, to strengthen national economy.

The programmes on intense development of Turkmenistan’s oil and gas industry prioritize development of the abundant fuel deposits prospected on the right bank of the Amu Darya River. It is not occasional that the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline – the XXI century largest project symbolising mutually advantageous Turkmen-Chinese cooperation starts in the Samandepe field. Putting the pipeline into operation will mark the establishment of the new transport and energy infrastructure in the region that will satisfy the economic needs of the neighbouring countries – Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China and create incentives for integration on terms of the real economic benefit.

Under the Turkmen-Chinese Agreement over US\\$ 6 billion are to be invested at the first stage of the works on exploration and additional exploration of the gas fields Samandepe, Yashildepe, Metejan, Genjibek included in Bagtyyarlyk contractual territory and modernization of the existing infrastructure to ensure production of 13 billion cubic meters a year. The action plan stipulates for construction of gasfield facilities and complementary geophysical research covering the area of 2,400 square metres, reconstruction of 27 temporarily abandoned wells, drilling of 40 exploratory and production wells in 2008-2009. The project will create about 5,000 new jobs that will foster social and economic development of the region.

The foundation for the first of two gas-purifying plants to be constructed in the Samandepe field in the nearest future was laid. Its estimated capacity is 5.5 billion cubic meters a year. Under the project the plant supplied with up-to-date equipment will include four technological systems including the units for treating, dewatering, pumping gas and the other facilities – the interdependent links of the production chain. The technological processes will be automated. Each year the gas-purifying plant will produce 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, 170,000 tons of gas condensate and 210,000 tons of hard sulphur.

After the plant is put into operation in 2009 Turkmenistan will start to supply natural gas to China under the 30-year agreement on natural gas sale signed by between the Turkmengas State Concern and the China National Petroleum and Gas Corporation last year. Therefore, another important step towards implementation of Turkmenistan profound energy potential will be made.