Speech by Maksat Babayev, State Minister of Turkmenistan — Chairman of the “Turkmengaz” State Concern

31st International Conference and Exhibition “Oil & Gas of Turkmenistan — OGT 2026”
Plenary Session 2: “The Future of Global Energy: Projects, Technologies and Development”
Ashgabat, October 21, 2026

Dear conference participants!
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen!

Allow me to warmly welcome you to the 31st International Conference and Exhibition “Oil & Gas of Turkmenistan.”

Every year, this forum brings together leaders of government institutions, major energy companies, international organizations, and financial institutions. Your presence demonstrates that interest in cooperation with our country in the oil and gas sector remains strong. We highly value this trust.

The global energy sector is undergoing a period of major transformation. Population growth, industrialization, and the development of the digital economy and artificial intelligence are increasing the demand for reliable energy supplies, while producers and consumers are simultaneously seeking a balance between security of supply, affordability, and environmental requirements.

Under these conditions, natural gas remains one of the key energy resources, and Turkmenistan, which ranks among the countries with the world’s largest gas reserves, is ready to contribute to this balance as a reliable supplier.

The theme of our session is “The Future of Global Energy: Projects, Technologies and Development.” For Turkmenistan, this is a concrete agenda arising from the energy policy pursued by the esteemed President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov: strengthening energy security, modernizing production infrastructure, diversifying export routes, and attracting advanced technologies.

We view the development of the gas industry not merely as an increase in production, but as a comprehensive process that brings together the development of new fields, infrastructure modernization, the introduction of advanced technologies, improved environmental efficiency, and broader international partnerships.

The main priorities are defined by the Program for the Development of Turkmenistan’s Oil and Gas Industry through 2030.

Dear colleagues!

The phased development of the Galkynysh field, one of the world’s largest gas fields, remains at the core of our long-term program.

According to independent auditor Gaffney, Cline & Associates, its reserves together with the Garakol and Yashlar structures amount to 27.4 trillion cubic meters of gas.

This resource base is designed to support stable supplies to both domestic and international markets.

The first stage, commissioned in 2013, includes three gas processing plants with a total design capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of marketable gas per year.

I would like to separately address the fourth stage of development.

The official launch ceremony for the work was held on April 17 this year in Mary velayat in the presence of the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Ding Xuexiang, First Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.

The stage includes drilling production wells and constructing a commercial gas treatment facility with a capacity of 10 billion cubic meters per year.

The China National Petroleum Corporation, CNPC, is a partner in the project.

More than one thousand jobs will be created after completion of the work.

For us, the fourth stage means not only additional gas volumes, but also new opportunities for contractors, equipment suppliers, and technology partners, and we are interested in their participation.

At the same time, it is important that the development of the field is accompanied by improved technological reliability, industrial safety, and efficient use of resources.

Ladies and gentlemen!

Gas exports remain one of the Concern’s most important areas of activity.

The People’s Republic of China is the largest importer of Turkmen gas.

The Turkmenistan–China gas pipeline has been operating since December 2009, and as of October 1 this year, more than 477 billion cubic meters of gas had been supplied through it.

This experience demonstrates that long-term agreements supported by infrastructure and the fulfillment of obligations provide a reliable foundation for cooperation.

We highly value our many years of cooperation with our Chinese partners and intend to continue developing it.

The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India gas pipeline holds a special place among our projects.

The pipeline’s design capacity is up to 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Today, the Concern is constructing the Afghan section from Serhetabat to Herat.

The work is proceeding according to schedule, and gas supplies through this section are planned to begin in 2027.

We view this project not only as energy infrastructure, but also as a factor of economic interaction and stronger regional ties.

A practical step in this direction was the working visit of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to Afghanistan’s Herat province on August 10 this year.

During the visit, a memorandum on gas cooperation, including gas supply to Herat province, was signed between the “Turkmengaz” State Concern and Afghanistan’s state-owned company “Afghan Gas.”

With regard to export routes to the east, south, and west, Turkmenistan follows the diversification policy pursued by the Government of the country.

We work in this direction as a neutral state and remain a predictable partner that fulfills its obligations.

Dear conference participants!

Another important area is the technological modernization of the gas industry.

The efficiency of an energy company increasingly depends on digital technologies, automation, and intelligent control systems.

Therefore, we are interested in expanding cooperation with international technology companies that possess advanced expertise in automation, digital modeling, intelligent field management, and the training of qualified specialists.

We also pay particular attention to environmental responsibility and reducing methane emissions.

For us, it is important that improved environmental performance go hand in hand with greater production reliability and the rational use of natural resources.

We highly value the partnerships established with energy companies, international organizations, and financial institutions.

Decisions in our industry are made for decades ahead. Therefore, long-term commitments, project financing, and partners willing to share responsibility for results are important to us.

We build cooperation on clear principles: equal conditions for partners, transparent procedures, and strict fulfillment of contractual obligations.

The Concern is open to considering proposals in gas production, processing, digital technologies, and personnel training.

The sustainability of the industry is determined not only by investment in infrastructure, but also by investment in people.

Therefore, we attach particular importance to training national specialists, transferring technological knowledge, and cooperating with international scientific and technological organizations.

I am confident that our conference will become a platform for substantive dialogue and concrete agreements, and the Concern is ready for such dialogue.

I wish all participants productive work.

Thank you for your attention!