Will Turkmenistan become a serious gas player in Europe?

Such question is given by the author of the publication under the same name at OilPrice.com, noting that from the Caspian states this country has the greatest stocks of natural gas, and recently Ashkhabad and Baku have signed the agreement on joint development of the common gas field.

«Turkmenistan takes the fourth place in the world by gas reserves - 19,5 trillion cubic metre that makes up 10 % from universal stocks. Its structure includes one of the largest gas deposits in the world - Galkynysh with volume of 2,8 trillion cubic metre», - expert Vanand Meliksetian writes.

In his opinion, the end of building of the Southern gas corridor with a cost of 40 billion dollars which consists of pipelines TANAP and TAP, from Azerbaijan to South Europe, opens possibilities for Turkmenistan.

«For the first time for decades export of natural gas from Central Asia to Europe directly is a viable variant if the interested states well play the cards.

Pipelines TANAP and TAP are intended for transportation of 10 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe and 6 billion cubic metres of gas to the Turkish market from the Azerbaijan deposit Shah Deniz. Now pipelines work only at half capacity and also can be modernised. For delivery of gas from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan it is necessary to construct only the Trans-Caspian pipeline. Thus, small export is possible rather quickly from the technical point of view».

The analyst assumes that «the first step in the large transaction can be announced in August after the summit on the Avaza Turkmen sea resort in which Turkey and Azerbaijan» will take part. By its expectations, leaders of Turkmenistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan will «underline their intentions to become a big exporter to Europe».