According to Bloomberg, Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) announced on Monday that Turkmenistan will be ready to pump gas to China from its massive South Yolotan field by the end of 2013. The project will take 32 months to be completed, after which Turkmenistan will be able to pump 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year out of the field. South Yolotan field was discovered in 2007 and is estimated to hold 16 trillion cubic feet gas reserves. In December 2009, Turkmengaz signed a $ 3.128 billion contracts with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for developing of the field. CNPC will ensure the field's annual production of 10 billion cubic meters. In the long term, China plans to receive from Turkmenistan annually 60 billion cubic meters of gas. However, realization of the deals made between Turkmenistan and China face certain difficulties. A price need to be set that both parties can agree on and that will appease other players such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and especially Russia.
Mar.11th Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov met with the Chinese ambassador to Turkmenistan Wu Hunbin, who accomplished his diplomatic mission. In their talk, commissioning of the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline through the territories of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in December 2009 was held up as an example of the strategic and reliable partnership between the two states. The meeting stressed "the vast potential of the Turkmen-Chinese relations effectively realized due to the high level of political confidence between the two countries, similarity of views on key issues of international agenda, as well as regular contacts at the presidential level", the report says.
Kazakhstan state-run energy company KazMunaiGas Exploration Production posted a 12 percent rise in net profit in 2010 on the back of higher crude prices and a production increase, after-tax profit earnings grew by $1.59 billion. Especially noteworthy is that its boosted production was primarily spurred by its purchase in December 2009 of a 33 percent stake in foreign energy firm PetroKazakhstan Inc. The integrated oil and gas company is majority owned by China’s largest energy firm China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).
WikiLeaks recently released a reported State Department cable declassified February 11, 2010 and dated February 11, 2000 that describes Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov as critical of what he characterized as Russia's meddling and even provocations in the Central Asian region. In this cable, according to political counselor of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Russia Farhad Khamrayev, "the West must understand that the" old dynamics in the region has changed, that Uzbekistan is pursuing its own interests. He then, rather bravely, to offer examples of the "new dynamics", saying that Russia abandoned its plans to deploy a military base in southern Kyrgyzstan, where Uzbeks expressed concern with the proximity to their border. He said that now its infrastructure will be used as a training center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Besides, Ivan Shafranchuka, an American diplomat wrote that Karimov was not impressed by Dmitry Medvedev, showed him little respect.
Defense Minister of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) member-states will meet in Astana to discuss cooperation and security on March. 17th. The meeting will include the leadership of the SCO Secretariat and its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. Topics will include international and regional security and further co-operation among the SCO member-states' defence ministries.
Articles referred to in this post:
"Китай в 2013 году получит газ из крупнейшего месторождения Туркмении" (China will receive gas from Turkmenistan's largest gas field in 2013)
"Difficulties Loom For A Turkmen-China Energy Deal"
"Президент Туркменистана принял Чрезвычайного и Полномочного Посла Китая" (President of Turkmenistan received of Chinese ambassador)
"РД КМГ в 2010 году увеличила чистую прибыль на 12%" (KazMunaiGas posts 12% profit in 2010)
"WikiLeaks: Каримов мало уважает президента России" (WikiLeaks: Karimov has little respect for the President of Russia)
"WikiLeaks: Karimov Played U.S. Off Against Russia"
"Главы Минобороны стран ШОС обсудят в Астане сотрудничество и безопасность" (Defense Minister of the SCO member-states will meet in Astana to discuss cooperation and security)
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