The German energy group RWE, as part of the Nabucco project
shareholders, declared today that signing of an agreement with
Turkmenistan on gas supplies has been postponed, Trend reports, citing
director of RWE Supply & Trading Stephan Yudish.
The agreement was expected to be signed in April 2010. However, last
week the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, while
appreciating the constructive approach of the company, only expressed
“confidence in the successful building of a mutually beneficial
partnership”.
Turkmenistan has the fourth largest gas reserves in the world, a fact
which attracts the EU. Nabucco is Brussels' priority project in its
'South corridor' plans to diversify its energy sources. Turkmenistan
could become one of the key suppliers.
RWE came to Turkmenistan in 2009, signing a memorandum on long-term
cooperation with the country’s government. The document involves
geological exploration works, creation of the gas-transport
infrastructure and searching for opportunities to transport
Turkmenistan’s gas to the world markets.
In order for the gas to reach European markets an underwater pipeline
through the Caspian Sea is needed, but this has been halted due to the
unresolved status of the sea between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.
RWE has recently opened an office in Ashkhabad, starting the
implementation of the project on sea block N23, in Turkmenistan’s
sector of the sea.
About a year ago the Product Sharing Agreement (PSA) was signed with
the State Agency on Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources under the President of Turkmenistan.
