Ashgabat sees Europe as gas partner

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, May 27 (UPI) -- Natural gas from Turkmenistan is part the government's commitment to its partnership with Europe, the president said during a gas conference in Ashgabat.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said his country was taking steps necessary to diversify its pipeline infrastructure to help secure natural gas markets, the Platts news service reports.

"Future supplies of Turkmen gas to Europe and the promotion of close collaboration with countries of the region in the energy sector are stipulated in this context," he was quoted as saying.

"The fruitful Turkmenistan-European Union talks on exports of Turkmen gas are a powerful incentive to implement this project."

His comments follow a survey from British oil field auditing company Gaffney Cline that puts the latest Turkmen gas find at the South Yolotan field among the largest in the world.

Gaffney Cline's audit puts the estimated reserves at the field at more than 700 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, enough to satisfy European demand for more than 50 years.

Turkmenistan is already exporting natural gas to China, Iran and to Russia. Natural gas from the Dauletabad gas field is expected to be moved east through the planned Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.