GECF Recognizes Turkmenistan’s Strategic Role in Gas Market: Meeting in Doha
On June18, at the headquarters of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, GECF Secretary General Mohamed Hamel met with Maksat Babayev, Minister of State and Chairman of the State Concern “Turkmengas”.
Mohamed Hamel expressed appreciation to Turkmenistan for its continued participation in the Forum and underscored its fundamental role in the establishment of the GECF. Reflecting on his recent visits to Ashgabat and participation in the Turkmenistan Investment Forum (TEIF) in Kuala Lumpur, the Secretary General underscored the country’s strategic importance as the world’s fourth largest holder of proven natural gas reserves and a key player in the future of global gas markets.
“With major developments such as the Galkynysh field and the TAPI pipeline, Turkmenistan is well positioned to nearly double its current production to more than 150 billion cubic meters by mid-century,” Hamel said.
The head of the organization reaffirmed the GECF's commitment to strengthening relations with Ashgabat and expressed hope for deeper institutional interaction between Turkmenistan and the Forum.
In turn, Maksat Babayev noted Turkmenistan's plans to develop natural gas, in particular the giant Galkynysh field, as well as the national strategy for modernizing the gas sector. He emphasized the introduction of AI in the country in cooperation with international partners and the efforts of domestic institutions to apply machine learning in reservoir modeling, greenhouse gas emissions monitoring and intelligent well diagnostics.
"Artificial intelligence opens up new horizons for optimizing production, reducing emissions and improving operational safety," the state minister said. He also noted that Turkmenistan is preparing national programs focused on digital transformation and the use of green technologies in the fuel and energy complex.
The meeting confirmed a common desire to expand cooperation and dialogue. Maksat Babayev also extended an invitation to the upcoming international conference “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2025” (OGT-2025), which will be held in Ashgabat in October.
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