Ashgabat, December 14 | ORIENT. Today, Turkmenistan celebrated Oil, Gas, and Geology Workers' Day. The date of the celebration is deeply symbolic: on December 14, 2009, the Turkmenistan-China international gas pipeline was commissioned, marking the beginning of a large-scale diversification of the country's export routes.

The ceremonial conference, timed to this professional holiday and following events commemorating the 30th anniversary of neutrality, began with the reading of a congratulatory address from President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

The head of state's message emphasized that the hard work of specialized professionals is ensuring impressive success, strengthening Turkmenistan's position among the world's leaders in hydrocarbon reserves.

The President outlined a strategic goal: the use of hydrocarbon resources, above all, for the well-being of the people, future generations, and the peoples of neighboring states.

The existing Turkmenistan-China and East-West gas pipelines, as well as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) transnational gas pipeline, were named among the important projects which implementation supports this goal.

The conference placed particular emphasis on the development of TAPI. It was noted that during the International Year of Peace and Trust, National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, blessed the construction of an important link in the project along the Serhetabat-Herat route, known as "Arkadagyň ak ýoly."

Addressing the industry's future challenges, the speakers emphasized the importance of strict adherence to environmental standards. Field development and raw material extraction must comply with environmental standards. Every effort must be made to reduce the impact of climate change by adopting best international practices.

Confidence was expressed that oil and gas industry workers and geologists will make a significant contribution to fulfilling Turkmenistan's international commitments in this area.

The festivities concluded with an awards ceremony for the most outstanding fuel and energy sector employees and the winners of a creative competition dedicated to the industry's achievements, as well as a concert featuring artists.