Turkmenistan, the largest supplier of pipeline gas to China, has no plans to connect Russia to the gas pipeline that supplies gas to China.
According to the communiqué of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, Moscow’s statements on the expansion of the “Gas Union”, to which the Russian Federation has invited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, raise doubts and directly affect the interests of Turkmenistan.
Gas for China
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China have long been cooperating in the transportation of natural gas from Central Asia to the People’s Republic of China, with clearly agreed volumes, terms, economic and technical parameters.
Currently, there are three branches of the “Turkmenistan – China” gas pipeline, bringing gas from Turkmenistan fields in the east and southeast of the country. All three lines and production facilities that guarantee their operation were built exclusively by the Turkmen and Chinese parties – the state-owned “Turkmengaz” and the Chinese oil and gas company CNPC, respectively.
“Today, Turkmenistan is the largest gas supplier of this gas pipeline: of the total agreed supply volume of 55 bcm per year, 40 bcm is contracted by Turkmenistan and the remaining volumes are supplied by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. There are no sources from other countries to support the gas pipeline and plans to expand the composition of participants in the gas pipeline project between Turkmenistan and China are not included in the existing schedule for the distribution of gas volumes supplied to China,” the Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry wrote.
Moscow proposal
On August 12, 2023, Turkmenistan warned Russia against trying to extend its influence over the Central Asian natural gas supply chain to China after Moscow suggested that other countries could join a “gas union” with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan pump gas to China through a pipeline that crosses the three countries. The lion’s share of gas comes from Turkmenistan, as the other two countries are experiencing strong growth in domestic demand.
Russia, which is trying to open up new Asian markets for its gas after Western countries imposed sanctions on the country over its war with Ukraine, proposed in 2022 to create a gas union with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that would increase the supply and export of gas to these countries would facilitate. countries, countries and third parties.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
