Yevgeny Krishtalyov. Exclusively to VK
The next wave of tension on the Caspian border between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and disputed oil and gas deposits provoked a lot of comments in the world.
The majority of experts rejected economic motives for the conflict, and considered the incident in which an Azerbaijani border patrol prevented a Turkmen research ship from conducting seismic exploration works in the Kapaz deposit in mid-June to have an exclusively political aspect. In addition, the foreign ministries of the two countries exchanged notes right after the events at sea. Diplomats put the blame on each other. Why has such activity appeared in the Caspian Sea? Why do these two countries need a new conflict? Is it political or economic?
Political versions of plots by big states were rapidly spread among numerous politicians. Somebody detected Moscow’s involvement, which supposedly tried to put the two countries at odds and prevent construction of the Trans-Caspian oil pipeline. Others saw participation of the West in the confrontation. As if it were trying to impose its conditions on the contract for exporting Turkmen gas to Europe through the South Gas Corridor on the countries.
Meanwhile, few people try to analyze the sea incident or understand its reasons and reaction of diplomats. According to documents available to Vestnik Kavkaza, the Turkmen ship fulfilled an order of the company Burried Hill (the head office is in London) and tried to implement geologic exploration works in the Kapaz deposit, or Serdar, as Turkmenistan calls it.
Burried Hill is a medium-sized oil and gas company. According to its documents, Turkmenistan is the main target of the company’s activity, due to its huge potential. Along with interests in the Caspian, the oil and gas company has two licenses for exploration in a deep-water area in Gambia. That is its whole business.
In December 2007 Burried Hill signed a contract with the government of Turkmenistan and obtained the rights to explore the Third Block, including the Serdar deposit. It is notable that the Third Block, including Serdar, covers about 1000 sq. km. of the Caspian shelf. Along with Serdar there are two other oil and gas fields, called Omar and Osman. These are Turkmen names for the Azerbaijani deposits of Azeri and Chirag which have been successfully developed by the consortium AIOC headed by BP since 1994.
Turkmenistan doesn’t recognize borders in the Caspian Sea and rejected the medium line which is recognized by Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan, which signed a trilateral treaty. According to its own calculations, Ashkhabad disputes not only Kapaz, but also Azeri and Chirag. The first well-sinking in Serdar was planned for 2013. In June, Burried Hill tried to carry out 3D seismic analysis of the 700 sq km territory.
The Burried Hill ship tried to analyze oil and gas deposits explored by the Azerbaijani side. It is no surprise that the Azerbaijani border patrol reacted sharply to this step of the oil and gas company. However, there is no sense in seeing cruel intentions to put two countries at odds in Burried Hill's activity. The company followed its business plan, while the Azerbaijani frontier guards fulfilled their duties, i.e. protected facilities which their country had considered to be national for 18 years. The incident might have remained insignificant if there were no media exaggeration.
The Turkmen Foreign Ministry couldn’t keep silent and sent a note to its colleagues in Azerbaijan. The Baku authorities had to respond. That should have been the end, but the mass media considered the incident to be crucial and dramatic. In reality, Baku and Ashkhabad are doomed to cooperate in various spheres and directions. The less alien “well-wishers” are, the faster a compromise between two Turkish nations will be found.
