Page 15 - FSUOGM Week 44 2021

FSUOGM NEWS IN BRIEF FSUOGM

Turkmen officials to visit Mongolian president negotiations were done to settle the
mentioned debt," the Iranian oil minister
Kabul to discuss Taliban- stresses importance of noted.

backed TAPI gas pipeline economic corridor with SOCAR and BP discuss

construction Russia, China

Turkmen officials will visit Kabul this The creation of a joint economic corridor shipping of ACE platform
week to discuss with the Taliban regime with Russia and China running through The support block of the ACE platform for
continuing work on the Turkmenistan- Mongolia will be of strategic significance the ACE - Azeri Central East project will
Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas for the three nations, President of Mongolia be dispatched to the sea in the coming
pipeline, the Taliban government said on Khurelsukh Ukhnaa said in an exclusive months for its installation, said President
October 27. interview with TASS first deputy director of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan
The pipeline is expected to carry 33bn general Mikhail Gusman on October 28. (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev and BP Vice
cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas per "We are considering the matter of President for Production and Operations
annum along an approximately 1,800 km- creating an economic corridor of three Gordon Birrell.
long route from the world’s second-biggest countries. As the president of Mongolia, I The ACE - Azeri Central East project
gas field Galkynysh in Turkmenistan to believe this will be a critical item of strategic is a joint SOCAR-BP project agreed on in
the Indian city of Fazilka near the Pakistan importance for Russia, Mongolia and 2017 for the ACG (Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli)
border. China over time. Therefore, we consider contract area, which is situated 120km east
“We have been working hard for the railway upgrade, with construction of Baku. The ACG contract area is spread
some time and we are ready to take pride of new branch lines and parallel tracks, across 432km² in the Azerbaijan sector
in starting work on the TAPI project,” and motorways and the gas pipeline from of the Caspian Sea. It is centred on a new
Mohammad Issa Akhund, the acting Russia to China as highly important 48-slot production, drilling and quarters
minister of mines and petroleum in the new and proactively work on them," platform located mid-way between the
Taliban government, said in a statement. Khurelsukh said. existing Central Azeri and East Azeri
The Afghan stretch of the pipeline will Mongolia is working on the task of platforms in a water depth of approximately
run south from the Turkmen-Afghan becoming the transit state, he went on, 140 meters. The project is expected to
border through the western Afghan city of saying: "You probably remember that achieve its first production in 2023 and
Herat to Kandahar near the border with I talked about that during the Eastern produce up to 300mn barrels over its
Pakistan. Economic Forum also. The shortest way lifetime.
from Europe to Asia is through Mongolia. According to a statement released by
The shortest transport route between SOCAR on October 26, various aspects
Russia’s TMK to supply Russia and China is across the expanses of of the partnership between SOCAR and
BP were discussed at the meeting. The
Mongolia. We therefore keep a close eye on
LD pipes for Turkmen gas the development of the transit, logistical sides especially discussed the progress of
and digital potential in our country."
exploration drilling in the shallow part
turbine power plant project of the Absheron Peninsula, as well as on
the further increase in gas production in
Russian steel pipe producer TMK has Iran 'intent on settling gas Azerbaijan, and its importance in meeting
announced plans to supply 15,000 tonnes the growing demand of the local and global
of large-diameter (LD) high-strength debts to Turkmenistan as gas market.
pipes with external insulation coating to The statement also mentioned that
Turkmenistan’s state-run gas company soon as possible' SOCAR, in accordance with the new
Turkmengaz for a gas turbine power plant strategy, is studying the possibility
project. Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji has said of ensuring the future energy supply
The pipes will enable the transport of Iran is determined to settle its natural gas to the company's offshore oil and gas
natural gas from Turkmen gas fields to the dues to Turkmenistan as soon as possible, infrastructure from renewable sources, not
Zerger gas turbine power plant, which is Iranian state energy news agency Shana has gas.
currently under construction in eastern reported. Oji’s remarks were made after a The ACG contract area is jointly
Lebap Region. meeting with a Turkmen delegation headed owned by BP (30.37%, operator), SOCAR/
The collaboration is part of the by Foreign Minister Rashid Muradov on AzACG (25%), Chevron (9.57%), INPEX
Central Asian nation’s Programme for the October 26. (9.31%), Equinor (7.27%), ExxonMobil
Development of the Oil and Gas Industry According to Oji, Iran has two long-term (6.79%), TPAO (5.73%), ITOCHU (3.65%)
of Turkmenistan to run until 2030, along (25-year) deals with Turkmenistan that saw and ONGC Videsh (OVL, 2.31%).The
with a programme to boost bilateral trade Iran importing 40mn cubic metres (mcm) $6bn project was announced following
between Russia and Turkmenistan. of gas on a daily basis. an agreement with the Government of
“A new contract for the supply of high- "Unfortunately, in the previous Azerbaijan for extending the operational
tech products to Turkmengaz will promote government, Turkmenistan's gas exports life of the ACG field until 2049. The project
the development of Turkmenistan’s energy to Iran were cut off due to the delay in is designed to process 100,000 barrels per
infrastructure and expand its export payment of Turkmenistan's dues," he said, day of oil and 350mn scfd (million standard
potential. We plan to fully deliver under the noting that the issue was referred to the cubic feet per day) of gas.
contract as early as 2021,” Denis Prikhodko, International Court of Arbitration and the
TMK’s director of sales, said. court determined the exact amount of Iran's
debt to Turkmenistan.
"Fortunately, with appropriate planning
that we had already done, positive

Week 44 03•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P15