Turkmenistan moves on Caspian pipeline

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 15 (UPI) -- Turkmenistan placed at top priority a pipeline project to distribute Caspian natural gas from Turkmenistan to Russia, the government said Tuesday.

"The Turkmen side is approaching the Caspian project from the positions of strategic long-term planning," a statement from the government of Turkmenistan said.

Officials there already have launched feasibility studies on the project, including introductory designs and an analysis of the projected route, Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported.

The pipeline capacity is expected to reach 353 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year, though the government statement said technological improvements could double that output.

"The reconstruction of the exiting and building of a new pipeline artery will make it possible to maximally use the existing potential of gas routes and increase their total throughput capacity to (706 billion cubic feet) of Turkmen natural gas," the statement said.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov put the matter up for consideration during a trilateral summit with the parties to the pipeline last spring.