Tag Archives: hydrocarbons

Turkmenistan to increase gas exports to Iran

DEC. 19 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Iran’s official Fars news agency reported that senior energy officials had visited their Turkmen counterparts in Ashgabat to discuss increasing gas imports from Turkmenistan. Despite occasional rows over payments, Turkmenistan has steadily increased gas exports to Iran over the past few years. The Fars report may be a sign that more is to come.

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(News report from Issue No. 118, published on Dec. 28 2012)

Kyrgyzstan hosts SCO meeting

DEC. 4 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – PMs of members of the Russia, China lead Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which focuses on Central Asia, met in Bishkek. China’s Wen Jiabao also met privately with Kyrgyz PM, Zhantoro Satybaldiyev. They discussed China’s future investment in Kyrgyzstan, and a potential trans Central Asia pipeline.

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(News report from Issue No. 116, published on Dec. 7 2012)

Kazakhstan’s Kazmunaigas stands aside India’s oil deal

NOV. 26 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Touted as an emerging superpower, India has still appeared sluggish in exerting its influence over Central Asia.

India’s moves in the region had been either incremental, such as talks with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on military cooperation, or long term, such as the TAPI pipeline which will, if everything goes to plan, pump gas from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.

This week, though, India took a giant leap forward in cementing real influence in the region. US energy company ConocoPhillips said it intended to sell its 8.4% stake in the Kashagan oil field development project not to Kazakh state energy company KazMunaiGas but to India’s state-run ONGC.

This is significant as KazMunaiGas would have had the first option to buy the stake. Instead, KazMunaiGas appears to have stood aside to allow ONGC in, although this could still change. It’s going to cost ONGC a reported $5b but with it comes significant influence. Kashagan is Kazakhstan’s most high-profile and prestigious energy project.

Websites have also reported that India wants to invest directly into Turkmenistan’s gas fields. If confirmed, this would be more evidence of India’s stirring ambition in the region.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Oil flows drop in Azerbaijan

NOV. 28 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan produced 2.2% less oil in the first 10 months of the year compared to the same period in 2011, official data showed. Gas production also dropped. Azerbaijani officials have heaped most of the blame onto BP which is managing the under-performing Azeri-Chirag- Guneshli Caspian Sea field.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Petrol shortage creates long queues in Uzbekistan

NOV. 23 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Fuel shortages are creating frustration and long queues outside petrol stations in Uzbekistan, local media reported. The scenario is a repeat of last year. The actual trigger for the shortages is unclear although most people blame a combination of poor infrastructure and official corruption.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Turkmenistan denies gas accustaions

NOV. 22 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Media quoted Sahatmurad Mamedov, chairman of state energy company Turkmengaz, denying that Turkmenistan had cut gas supplies to Iran because of a pricing dispute, as reported last week by Iranian media. Instead Mr Mamedov said gas had been stopped to fix the pipeline and that the flow had now re-started.

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(News report from Issue No. 114, published on Nov. 23 2012)

Production at gas field to start, says Turkmen official

NOV. 16 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – A Turkmen official told Reuters that production at the world’s second largest gas field, Galkynysh, would begin next year. Galkynysh was confirmed as the world’s second largest gas field last year and, when production begins, will cement Turkmenistan’s status as one of the region’s most important energy producers.

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(News report from Issue No. 114, published on Nov. 23 2012)

Azerbaijan’s SOCAR needs more investment

NOV. 21 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – A senior official at SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state energy company, hinted that the BP-lead group developing the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field in the Caspian Sea would be expected to invest more cash into the project to maintain production, media reported. Azerbaijan has complained about below-expected production rates at the field.

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(News report from Issue No. 114, published on Nov. 23 2012)

Iran accuses Turkmenistan

Nov. 14 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Iran accused neighbouring Turkmenistan of cutting off gas supplies because of a contractual dispute, media reported. Iran relies on Turkmenistan to pump gas to its northern regions. A Turkmen official denied that it had cut gas supplies to Iran.

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(News report from Issue No. 113, published on Nov. 16 2012)

Azerbaijan’s TANAP gets more stakeholders

NOV. 7 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – BP, Statoil and Total have bought stakes in the proposed TANAP pipeline that will pump gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey, media reported. The ultimate market is the EU which has been trying to reduce its dependency on Russia for gas supplies. BP and Statoil will each buy 12% stakes in TANAP and Total will buy 5%.

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(News report from Issue No. 112, published on Nov. 9 2012)